Shelter from the Storm
by AngeloftheMorning1978
Summary: After being horribly injured by the new menace to Gotham crime, AKA Batman, young Selina Kyle seeks shelter with her old friend and long suffering paramour, Bruce Wayne. Batman, still on the hunt for the elusive and dangerous cat burglar, has no idea he had been harboring the enemy in his home.
1. Chapter 1

**~ After being horribly injured by the new menace to Gotham crime, AKA Batman, young Selina Kyle seeks shelter with her old friend and long suffering paramour, Bruce Wayne.**

**Batman, still on the hunt for the elusive and dangerous cat burglar, has no idea he had been harboring the enemy in his home.~ **

_DISCLAIMER! I don't own Batman, Gotham, Catwoman or Selina. I'm a huge fan of the show and the casting was amazing! Except Barbra. Eww! Cameron and David are so cute and I think they will rock as Selina and Bruce. _

**Shelter from the Storm.**

1.

~ Pain, burned like white fire along Catwoman's hip as soon as she hit the ground. She gasped at the sharpness of it. The pain was like a knife being plunged into her and twisted.

She looked up at the ledge where she had fallen and couldn't help but let out a feeble cry. That _freak_, dressed all in black, had chased her off the rooftop and down to a less reliable escape route.

She knew Gotham like the back of her hand, but the rain had made her world too uncertain. It didn't help that the city had yet to fix some broken street lights, or that the freak had caused such an imposition.

He had come out of nowhere. His footsteps as silent as her own when he snuck up behind her. He had cut a very menacing figure in the darkness. No wonder the street criminals all feared him. It was like he was made out of shadows. He seemed to appear and then vanish in total silence. Catwoman couldn't help but admire the freak for this.

It was a trait she would have to adopt if she wanted to return the favor for his interference.

He had caught her coming out of the jewelry shop. It was a break in she had been planing for weeks now and had timed the sensors, and pressure point down perfectly. The roof access gave her the only ingress and she had dropped down from a cable into the store without ever touching her feet on the floor.

Motion sensors were never tripped, alarms never sounded. Even now, there were no police sirens. GCPD wasn't on it's way. She had all the time in the world to steal millions in untraceable diamonds.

So how did the freak find her?

She had been dangling, inverted, from her rope just five feet off the ground when there had been a hard pull and she almost dropped the diamond bracelet she had been holding. That bracelet alone would fence her enough to keep Rilo off her back for a long time. Now, she had nothing for him and she was hurt on top of it.

The rain was pouring down on her in this filthy alleyway. The freak, the phantom, the shadow, the darkness, whoever he was, had given chase after she fought back.

As soon as he had pulled her out of the jewelry shop and on top of the roof, she had shown no mercy. She slashed at the intruder with a blade she neatly kept hidden. The darkness of the rooftop, showed her very little of what or who was around her. She could see in the dark very well most of the time, but not tonight. Tonight, it was like she was blind. Even her night vision goggles didn't help with all the rain and the reflective light from nearby buildings.

She slashed out at the figure and he hit her. His punch almost knocking the breath from her lungs. She hadn't been hit that hard since she left the state home for children.

For a moment, that fear had come back to her. Her inner child, scared and in tears told her to cower. Maybe he won't hit her again if she backed away.

But a rage took over her. She was quicker than the freak. He was a man, she could tell by the sheer breath of him. His body was strong and she felt especially fragile in the face of him.

But he was slower than she was. He played defense when she seized a large wrench from her tool belt and heaved it at him.

She thought she might have hit him on the face, the darkness seeming to have swallowed him up again, she was quick to turn and run.

She ran like she had never run before.

She wasn't sure what the freak was capable of, but she wasn't ready to find out. Stories had already spread of this guy. Who knows what he did to street people like her?

She jumped from roof top to roof top and she knew he was in pursuit. The sound of the rain drowned out the noises of feet landing hard from a long drop. She knew he was just behind her, always ready to catch her.

It was like a dance, only she wanted it to end. A flash of lighting distracted her and she caught a glimpse of her pursuer. His face… his face wasn't a normal face at all. It was all black and his ears… he was covered in blackness. He could easily be mistaken for one of the grotesque gargoyles that perched around the older buildings of Gotham.

In horror, she lost her footing and fell. Her instincts eating her to slow her fall by grabbing a hold of a fire escape. Her hands slipped off the slick metal and she fell again, quickly she was able to tuck and roll as she hit the ground.

She was hurt now. Her body protesting as she dragged herself off the alley and behind a dumpster.

She could hear him. Hear the freak jumping down fire escapes and landing, more gracefully than she did, in the alley.

She managed to pull herself up to a standing position and spotted the little window that belonged to the basement of an old bakery. It would still be unlocked, she was sure. The bakery had long been out of business and she and Ivy used to stay there until the rats took over.

Without concern for the rats, or her injury, she dove for the little door. Her hips were somewhat wider now than when she was young. It took her slightly longer to squeeze in, but she managed to vanish in the darkness.

Quick as a flash, she slid an old wooden crate over the window and pressed herself against the wall.

From the street view, it would hopefully look like the window was boarded up from the inside. She stopped breathing when she saw him. He detached himself from the darkness with the help of a flash of lighting.

With wide eyes, she watch his feet, clad in high end all terrain boots, walk carefully past her hiding spot.

She was holding her breath as she watched him. The lighting had only been for a second, but she saw the rumors were true, this guy wore some kind of mask.

A squeaking noise diverted her attention for a moment and she saw the rats had never abandoned the old bakery. They were offended by her presence there and were brazen enough to come right up to her.

She looked back out the little window and saw the freak had gone.

'_He might still be outside._' she thought worriedly. '_Waiting for me to think it's safe_.'

She winced in pain and threw off a rat who had come too close.

She tried to relax her body, but the pain, now more insistent refused to let her go.

~ Bruce was annoyed, but his face never showed it. His face was always calm and composed. His mask was always on, even when it was off.

"Whoever she was, she got away." he muttered to Alfred before his long time friend had a chance to say a word.

"I see." the older man said. "Any chance she's known to the police?"

"Most likely." Bruce said bitterly.

He had finished undressing from the cumbersome, yet lifesaving body armor her wore on patrol, bandaged the wounds he would forget to tell Alfred about and redressed in plain clothes.

"High end B and E. Female. The list is long in Gotham." he sighed. "She's a professional. Didn't even trip the security sensors. She was most likely working for a larger organization. It's unlikely she would be able to do this on her own. She would need information and equipment to pull this off. Also a buyer in line for the diamonds. A search into burglaries among the organized crime families would take too long."

Bruce opened the high tech computer screen that was becoming his best friend these days. Tonight had been a total bust. He had stopped the theft, sure, but the culprit had gotten away. She had just vanished into the storm like a ghost. He had looked for hours in the rain until he was sure all traces of his prey were washed away by the unforgiving storm that flooded the streets and made everything cold miserable.  
"Master, Bruce?" Alfred interrupted.

What is it?" Bruce asked with a sigh.

"It's very late, I think you would want to get some rest." Alfred said.

Bruce shook his head at the notion. Miserable or not, he never felt more alive than when he had just come back from patrol. He couldn't explain the rush, the natural high he got from wearing the body armor, the mask and black cape that camouflaged him on those rooftops.

He was finally free when he was on patrol. Couldn't Alfred see that?

"What you're doing is admirable, but you must have a life." Alfred said gently. "It's summer now, but what happens when school starts back up? University and night patrols don't exactly go well together."

Bruce said nothing. His invisible mask was back on again. He was in his junior year at his father's Alma Mater, and college life didn't suit him.

He couldn't stand his peers, wherever he was. This had alway been true. People his own age, from his own social standing lived in this bubble and seemed to be blind to the rest of the world.

"Alfred." Bruce said sadly.

"No!" Alfred snapped. "Don't you dare."

"There is no reason for me to continue with school." Bruce said.

"You're parents would be appalled if you dropped out!" Alfred almost barked.

Bruce was about to argue when his cell phone rang.

"Who the bloody hell is calling at this hour?" Alfred spat.

Bruce ignored him and looked at his phone. He naturally paid extra for a service that showed where the call was coming from anywhere in the world. Even unlisted or blocked numbers.

"Gotham General." Bruce muttered.

Alfred looked disapproving.

"Hello?" Bruce said with a polite and airy voice.

"Umm." A female voice come over the line. It rang with fear and uncertainty.

"Who is this?" Bruce asked gently. Only a few people had his number and it felt like a strange violation for someone to call him on his cell phone.  
"Bruce?" a sad, distant voice asked and he already knew who she was. Memories, soft, wonderful and cherished warmed his body up from this cold night better than any fire or fresh change of clothes could.  
"Selina?" Bruce almost chocked. "Where… where are you? Are you okay?"

He hadn't seen her in so long. They had such a terrible falling out the last time she had been in his life. They had both been so angry. So many walls were up. So many hateful words thrown at the other.

Bruce could still remember the tears in her eyes. Tears she never shed, but stayed in those eyes of hers like they were afraid to come down.

"Bruce." Selina gasped. Her breathing was labored. "I'm sorry to bother you. I know we haven't talked in a long time."

"Selina, I'm coming to get you." Bruce said sharply into his phone.

"I haven't even told you were I am." she said weakly.  
"Caller ID, genius." Bruce teased her. It was an old game he used to play with her. Days gone by, when he had been too trusting, too naive. She had often questioned his genius IQ.

"Oh." she breathed.  
"Don't worry, Selina." Bruce said. He ignored Alfred's curious look as he pulled on a jacket. "I'm on my way."


	2. Chapter 2

2.

~ "Correct me if I'm wrong, Master Bruce." Alfred started to say. "Miss Kyle is very lovely, that's always been true, but I thought the pair of you were not on the best of terms."

"That's putting it mildly." Bruce muttered.

Alfred had insisted on driving in the storm. It always made Bruce feel more like a child than a grown man when he did this. Bruce had entrained an idea that he would pull up to the hospital in his fancy car, rescue Selina and drive her back to his home. Nothing about Alfred being there was romantic.

It was like your dad driving you and a date to prom.

Bruce had to laugh at the irony of the idea just now. Alfred had driven him to the prom. Selina had been his date and they ditched to dance as soon as the old man dropped them off. Bruce felt himself blush at the memory of if. Now, here he was. He felt like no time had passed at all.

Gotham General loomed up like a great haunted castle. It was not the best hospital, but decent enough for the poorer neighborhoods.

It was Gothic in design and in dire need of being torn down and a more modern facility put in its place.

It was almost as old as Arkham Asylum and just as fearsome looking. Bruce glared at the rows of windows and the flashing ambulance lights.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred shouted when Bruce left the backseat and was darted through the rain slicked parking lot.

The storm made everything chaotic in the emergency intake room.

People were shouting and screaming at nurses, paramedics were wrestling a man to the ground. It was a depository for drug addicts, gang violence and the last hope for the desperate of Gotham's poor.

Bruce, feeling like he had stepped into one of the circles of hell, wandered around till he found the front desk.

"I'm here to see Selina Kyle." he told lady behind the bullet proof glass marked 'Intake'.  
"Have a seat." the receptionist told him.

Bruce looked back at the waiting room.

"I'm sorry, that won't do." he said after taking in the side show of freaks that were there.  
"There are other people here, sir. Take a seat." the receptionist said irritably.

Bruce reached into his jacket pocket, paying no attention to the number of bills he pulled out, and quickly slid them to the receptionist under the glass window.

The woman, a middle aged lady with almost comic like glasses and frizzy hair to match, looked in shock at the bills. Bruce must have guessed it was a good deal of money because she slapped her hand over the cash and slid it out of sight.

The receptionist looked around to make sure no one noticed her greed.

"Selina Kyle." Bruce siad more firmly.

~ Selina didn't think these doctors knew what they were doing. The meds were taking too long and the pain in her hip was hurting too much.

"Nurse." she said weakly. She needed to see that doctor again. She needed to get out of here.

How she had managed to make it to get out of that basement, away from the ally and make it to Gotham General was a miracle. She had hobbled to the the emergency room and had to wait for over an hour to be seen. All the while in horrible pain, and just to hear the news she had a fractured hip.

"What now?" the nurse growled.  
"I need something stronger." Selina said pitifully. "It hurts."

"You have to give the drugs a chance to work." the nurse said. "Now, here are your discharge papers."

Selina let out a sigh. She hoped Bruce would get here soon. She had no one else to call. Ivy was MIA and the apartment she had been staying at would not exactly be available much longer. It's rightful owners coming back from Europe in any day now.

'_Please come, Bruce_.' she prayed silently.

Then, just like a wish being granted, he was there. He parted the curtain of the little exam room as though he owned the entire building and looked down on her disapprovingly.  
"Selina." he said sadly.

She had to stop for a moment and take in how good he looked. Even in normal clothes, he cut in impressive figure. He must have been working out, because his shoulders were defiantly wider. He looked almost nothing like the boy she had first met, but his face, his face was still thoughtful and sad looking. His eyes still softened when he saw her.

"You came." she breathed in relief.

Bruce leaned over her. His hands, oddly calloused for a rich man's son, were touching her face.

"What happened?" he whispered.

She had a story ready for him. She was very good at lying to Bruce.

"I was at work, waitressing, and as soon as I got off shift, I stepped out into the rain. I slipped and feel really hard." she told him quickly.

Another pain shot through her and she shut her eyes tightly.

"I slipped." she panted now. "The doctor said it's a hip fracture."  
"Didn't they give you anything for pain?" Bruce demanded angrily.

"They said they did." she told him weakly.

Before she should explain that she had nowhere to go and was hurt and needed help, Bruce leaned away from her. His face cold with anger.  
"Nurse." he said with authority. "I need to speak with her doctor right now."

"She's being discharged, sir." the nurse said. "There is nothing more we can do."

"Call for a private ambulance from Gotham Medical and Rehab." Bruce ordered.

The nurse stood frozen. Maybe she recognized him, maybe she just wasn't used to being ordered around like this.  
"Now, would be best. I'm having this patient sent to a real hospital." Bruce said. His voice was cool and confidant. Anyone would guess he had done this everyday.

~ Gotham Medical and Rehab was the best int he city. It looked less like a hospital, and more like an exclusive spa. There wasn't even that horrid hospital smell and all the nurses wore crisp, uniform like scrubs.

Paramedics came within minutes and lifted her gently onto a gurney, taking her vital signs while Bruce rode with her.

"They only gave her Vicodin?" the doctor asked. He looked like an old fashioned movie star. Like he should be treating celebrities and have his own wellness show. Not looking after someone like her. "Vicodin for a fractured hip? That place needs to be torn down and the earth salted."

Selina smiled as Bruce held her hand.  
"Don't worry, Miss Kyle." the movie star doctor said kindly. "We're giving you a shot of real pain medication and then doing a comprehensive X Ray. It's very likely your hip wasn't the only injury you sustained in you fall."

Selina watched the nurse inject her IV with something as the movie star doctor felt her hip and worked his way upwards.

Selina winced slightly when he reached her ribs.

"Broken rib." the doctor said and scribbled a note. "You did all this from a single fall?"

"I was running." Selina said. She wasn't exactly lying about that part. "I was running, trying to get out of the rain."

"What are these?" the doctor asked and looked over the rat bites on her hands. It had been a hard job fighting off an army of rats in that basement. She hadn't exactly won, merely retreated.

"I guess I cut my hands in the parking lot." Selina explained.

"The good news is, none of it is too serious. You're young and you'll heal fast." the movie star doctor told her. "Bad news is, you won't be able to go back to work for some time. You'll need lots of rest. After the X Rays, we'll get you a room and you can begin your recovery and therapy."

"Stay here?" Selina chocked.

Her fences would find her right away if she was here. She owed them the diamonds from the jewelry store. They would come after her if she didn't deliver as promised. Also, the freak from the dark might come. He might be looking in area hospitals for recent patients with injuries such as hers.

"Don't worry about the expense." Bruce was saying. "I'm going to take care of this."

Selina felt her heart flutter at the sight of him. He still cared for her, she knew that. But she couldn't stay here like a sitting duck. She needed a better hiding place for her recovery.

"I… I can't stay here." she told him. Her pain meds were kicking in and she was starting to feel… _wonderful_.

"Why not?" Bruce was asking. His face looked like it was glowing and she felt herself float off the bed.

"He's going to come after me." Selina said unwillingly. She had planned to say she hated hospitals but Bruce's angry face was all she saw before sweet release took her.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

~ "Bruce?" Selina called. Her eyes were still closed and she had been talking to herself all evening. All during her X rays and when the nurses had rolled her to a private room that was nicer than most apartments in the city, she had refused to shut up.

The nurse had said that was normal for some patients to do. The drugs wouldn't make her sleep, just stop the pain and perhaps make her slightly giddy.

"I'm here." Bruce said once they were alone again.

The sun was coming up and Alfred had finally gone home under Bruce's orders. His old friend was mad at him for running off, then for ditching him at Gotham General. Alfred had made it known that he didn't approve of Selina Kyle being in Bruce's life again. He had always held fast to his opinion that she was the same saucy little minx she had been when Bruce had first met her.

"I'm hungry." Selina said in her drug induced half sleep.

"As soon as you wake up, I'll get you something." Bruce whispered. He had been sitting on the chair beside her bed all night. His own body ready for sleep as well.

"Okay." Selina sighed.

He watched her sleep a little before she jumped out of some nightmare. He wasn't used to seeing Selina Kyle helpless like this. She was always strong and confident in everything. He doubted if he had ever seen her with so much as a cold. Much less in a hospital. An odd serge of protectiveness washed over him. He had always wanted to care for Selina. Yet, she had always kept him at a distance.

"Bruce?" she called. Her eyes were still shut as if she were sleeping.

"I'm here." Bruce told her.  
"Don't let him hurt me again." she said pitifully.

"Who hurt you?" Bruce asked gently.

Selina shook her head. Her eyes still closed.

"That freak. He'll find me here." she said weakly.

"No, he won't."

"He will." she cried in her twilight sleep.

"You're coming home with me." Bruce told her. "As soon as you wake up."

"I like your house." she whispered.

Before Bruce could ask anymore questions, Selina was asleep again.

~ Selina woke up slowly. Her bed was too soft and her room was too big. Sunlight was coming in from a high window and highlighting a vase full of fresh tulips.

'_Where am I?_' she thought to herself. She started to sit up when a pain radiated down her leg made her stop.

'_The freak, the jewelry store, the fall, the rats in the basement, the emergency room. Bruce!_'

Memories came flooding back into her mind flushing out the blissful innocence of the morning.

A wave of panic ripped through her. Last night had been a busy one. She hadn't been able to get the diamonds, the freak had attacked her, chased her off a roof and she had been hurt.

She had been desperate for help, so desperate she had called Bruce. He had come. Like a white knight on a noble steed, Bruce Wayne had rescued her.

Bruce Wayne loved to play the White Knight.

Selina winced in pain again as she tried to maneuver herself out of bed. She could still walk, although it wasn't pleasant. If she favored her good leg, she could manage well enough. She had to use the bathroom and remembered where it was from one of here many stays at Wayne manor. Bruce had always kept this room for her. Ever since Gordon had stashed her here for protection.

It was a lovely room with a south facing window that overlooked a massive lawn. Bruce said the lawn was molded after Chatsworth, whatever that was. Her bedroom at Wayne manor was pink. Not a lurid pink like a typical girls room. This pink was soft as rose petals. The famine touches were not too overdone, and not too youthful either. Selina liked this room with its paintings of flowers framed on the walls, and it's deep, comfortable bed. She knew that Bruce never allowed anyone else to stay in her room. It was always the same and she was grateful.

She wasn't sure what time it was after she had gone to the bathroom and taken a quick shower. It was hard to stand and she was hurting again.

She had forgotten to bring in a change of clothes with her into the bathroom and was a little surprised to see a fresh, new pair of pink pajamas sitting on the marble sink when she got out of the shower.

She didn't have to wonder who had provided them. Her benefactor was waiting outside the bathroom for her.

"Did you come in there when I was showering?" she asked pointing to the bathroom.

"I've hired a nurse for you." Bruce said ignoring the question. "Next time, please call her for help. I wouldn't want you hurt again."

"Thanks." Selina said.

"You slept a long time." Bruce told her. "It's almost time for dinner. I assume you're hungry."

Selina nodded. She was starving for something to eat.

"Good, let me help you back to bed and I'll have something brought up for you." he said.

Selina felt slightly distrustful of Bruce. He had always been kind to her. Always cared for her, and loved her. She had never deserved any of it. Didn't deserve his goodness.

She didn't deserve a white knight.

What choice did she have? Slowly, she hobbled out of the bathroom and took Bruce's hand. Her hip hurt her terribly and she almost lost her balance and fell. Bruce, stronger than she remembered, held fast to her and gently, helped her back to bed. His body now capable of easily holding her up.

As if she were a child, he folded the blankets over her. Selina remembered the wonderful the feel of the pink satin comforter from her previous stays here.

"You kept my old room." she said sadly.  
"Of course." Bruce said easily. "It was always here for you."

He was sitting on the edge of her bed. His eyes, still as dark and lovely as she remembered, seeming to drink her in.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked. Breaking out of some spell they both were in.

"I'm not picky." she laughed. "You know that."

Bruce smiled.

"I'll have Alfred cook up some hamburgers like the old days." he laughed.

"Will you eat with me?" Selina asked.

Her hands went to his and held them tight. She didn't want to let him go.

Bruce looked down at their fingers intertwined.  
"I have somethings to do tonight." he said avoiding her eyes.

She felt a pain in her heart at the disappointment.

"I was hoping we could watch TV together, or something stupid like that." Selina admitted.

Bruce smiled.

"I'll have Alfred get dinner started." Bruce told her getting to his feet. He gave her a curt, formal nod before leaving the room. He kept his gaze away from her. His failure to make eye contact meant he was hiding something.

For a moment, Selina felt a prickle of fear shiver down her spine. Bruce had always wanted to spend time with her. Was always the gentleman. For a terrifying moment, she feared he didn't really care for her at all. What else did she have, if she didn't have him to care for her?

~ Alfred wasn't happy when Bruce came downstairs to the kitchen.

"Is the invalid awake, sir?" he asked briskly. Bruce noticed the long time butler was cooking Selina Kyle's favorite meal, duck in orange sauce.

"Yes." Bruce said. He wondered if he should tell Alfred to make hamburgs instead. He decided the risk wasn't worth it. Alfred had his limits when it came to some things. Selina Kyle had tested them all.

"I think you should know, Master Bruce." Alfred said clearing his throat while he whisked the organic sauce. "I think it's a very bad idea to keep the lady here."

"She thinks she might be in danger if she stays at the hospital." Bruce explained.

"A danger that is her own making, Master Bruce." Alfred barked. He glared at the younger man. "I know you're reluctant to hear this, but Selina isn't that sweet girl Gordon dropped off all those years ago. In fact, I'm willing to bet she was never a good person."

"Alfred." Bruce sighed. "She's had a hard life."

"Many people have hard lives. They don't get arrested for stealing." Alfred scolded.

"She's not like that anymore. She's changed."

"Just as you like, Master Bruce." Alfred muttered. "But it's been a long time since you'e seen her. Maybe her change hasn't been for the better."

"What do you mean?" Bruce said hotly. He didn't like for Alfred to beat around the bush.

"How do we know Miss Kyle isn't… a woking girl." Alfred said with difficulty.

Bruce didn't understand right away. Alfred was trying to be tactful, but it was lost on the younger man.

Alfred read the confusion on Bruce's face.

"I mean, you don't have people after you if you're obeying the law. She might owe money to some pimp." Alfred said.

Bruce felt his stomach clench and his spin straiten.

"Selina isn't like that." he said in a cold, detached voice.

The idea of Selina, his childhood friend, allowing that to happen.  
"She would never." Bruce said.

"We don't know that." Alfred said.

"I know that. I know Selina. She respects herself too much to become that." Bruce said.

"When people are desperate, sir." Alfred said gently. "They do desperate things."

"Selina is a survivor." Bruce reasoned. "She would never be that desperate."

The old friends exchanged stares for a moment. Each believing themselves to be right.

"Of course, sir." Alfred said stiffly. "I'll be bringing up the lady's tray soon."

"I'll bring diner to her." Bruce said. "She wants to watch some kind of program and has asked me to stay with her this evening. I was thinking now would be a good time to make use of the screening room."

"About time. What about your investigation of the jewelry shop?" Alfred asked.

"That can wait." Bruce explained.

"Patrols?" Alfred asked curiously.

Bruce ignored him.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

~ Selina wasn't used to asking for help for anything. Her earliest memories were pushing a chair to the stove so she would be tall enough to cook spaghettiO's to eat. Her mother was never home, or when she was home, she was alway passed out and never took care of Selina. As a child, she had gotten used taking care of herself and hated to admit she needed help now. Her pain medication had worn off and her hip was already hurting her. The nurse Bruce had hired for her, a stout woman with a sour look on her face answered the call and gave her something.

"This is still very strong for such a small person." the nurse added. "I think the doctor didn't want you to suffer. But remember, the hip won't heal right if you put too much weight on it."

"I'll make sure she behaves." Bruce said.

Selina jumped. She didn't realize Bruce had entered the room. This old house creaked like a ship at sea and she had loved that she was able to tell if people were outside her door. When had he learned to not make a sound?

The nurse had been helping her into a wheelchair and had helped her dress in a lovely pink day robe.

"I can take it from here." Bruce nodded to the nurse who quickly left them.

"Here to keep me from misbehaving?" Selina teased.

Her old friend carefully pushed her wheelchair out of the pink bedroom and down the hall to the antiquated elevator.

"I've never been able to stop you before." Bruce said with a little smile. "I'm afraid Alfred had already started on the duck by the time I arrived at the kitchen. Hope your'e not sorry about the burgers."

Selina felt her mouth water. She loved duck. Especially with all the spices and orange slices Alfred used for decoration. When she was younger, Alfred had served duck and Selina ate it like she had never seen food before. Since then, he always managed to prepare the dish whenever she was there.

"I can forgive him." Selina said with a contented smile. She was hungry from so long without eating. In truth, her diet these days hadn't been a good one. She knew it was stress that was causing her to skip meals and to feast on nothing but hotdogs and potato chips.

"I thought we could watch your program in the TV room." Bruce said. "We also have movies. It's very comfortable. The doctor said you shouldn't be sitting up for long periods of time, and the seats recline."

"A TV room?" Selina teased. "When did you do that?"

Bruce was smiling as the elevator finally reached to ground floor and gave of it's little ding.

"You hate TV. Reality shows are evil. Your words." she told him.

"You always liked them." he told her.

"So you built a TV room…" Selina said and then closed her lips tightly. She didn't want to say Bruce had built the room for her. That would have been too much. There was too much to be afraid of from that idea.

She said nothing as Bruce wheeled her down a simple hallway and into what was once a drafty sitting room that was never used.

He opened the double wide doors to reveal a dinner theater like setting. The back row was on a raised platform with small, two person dinning tables and even a fully stocked bar tucked in the back. The first few rows were lined with huge, comfortable looking recliners. It must have been a major overhaul. Nothing looked tacky or cheap. That wasn't Bruce Wayne's style.

"Wow." she breathed.

"I had a decorator come in. She did the private screening rooms of Hollywood producers and she designed this whole place to look like Rick's Cafe Americana."

"What's that?" Selina asked.

Bruce looked shocked.

"Rick's place?" he asked "Casablanca?"

Selina shrugged.

"I can see we'll have to watch that before you leave." he sighed.

"I'm not a movie buff." she laughed.

"Don't worry. We can stream anything here. We get programs from all over the world." he explained. "I thought I would do more entraining with this room, but it's been sitting a little empty."

"Like the rest of the house." Selina commented.

Bruce helped her out of the wheelchair and into one of the oversized recliners. It was just as wonderful as it looked.

"Seriously," she sighed. "You should have more parties. You're young and you need to live more. People will start to think you're hiding something."

Bruce looked slightly troubled. As though she had caught him at something.

"I'll go get dinner." he said quickly and left her to play with the remote tot he large TV.

~ One day, when she had lots and lots of her _own_ money, and was powerful and feared, Selina wanted a room exactly like this. It would be perfect to just live in. Forget about watching TV or movies. She wanted to live in this room forever. She even liked the exotic Moroccan decor that was stenciled on the walls and dreamy mood lighting from colored lanterns.

Bruce soon came back with a tray of food for the both of them and insisted they eat without the TV on.

"Oh right." Selina sighed and turned off the big screen. "I forgot that it's rude to have a TV on while eating with someone."  
"I hate those restaurants that have those big, garish flat screens on the walls. People are watching sports while with their friends at dinner. They only talk during the commercial break. It's insulting." Bruce said with a dark scowl.

"I guess." Selina laughed. She breathed in the aroma of the finely cooked duck meat that Alfred had expertly arranged on each plate. "When I still had a case worker, he took me out to family restaurants to discuss the foster home I was in. They always had a TV in those places and as soon as the commercials were over, it was like I wasn't in the room."

Bruce was watching her as if she were very interesting.

Selina shrugged.

"Poor people like TV." she told him.

"He shouldn't have just ignored you." Bruce said sadly.

She almost laughed. There were far worse things in life than a social worker watching some stupid game instead of talking to you. She wanted to tell Bruce about the foster father who used to beat her. The foster mother who kept her out of school because of all the bruises and had Selina work as her personal maid.

It was the great joke of Selina Kyle's life that she liked the group home better than foster care. When she got into fights at the group home and had to leave, she was finally free. Living on the streets was hard, sure, but she made it work for her. She still made it work.  
"So tell me what you've been up to." Bruce asked after a moment of silence.

Selina had to think of a lie and she was gifted at lying to Bruce.

"Working. As a waitress like I said." she told him.

"Where are you living?" he asked.

"Oh, nice little loft downtown, near the farmer's market. It's been remolded." she was telling the truth about that. Only the owners didn't know she was living there while they were on vacation.

"Trendy." Bruce agreed. "I guess rat problems are common in those old buildings."

Selina froze and glared at him.  
"What?" she said. Her lies were starting to falter.

He nodded to her hands. The red wounds and broken open skin.  
"Doctor said those are rat bites." Bruce told her. "Don't worry, they gave you a rabies shot and antibiotics. You'll be fine."

Selina didn't say anything.

"I can always tell when you lie to me, Selina." Bruce sighed and carefully cut up his own duck. His large, calloused hands holding the pristine silverware in such a prissy rich boy way that Selina felt rage bubble up inside her. She would never be good enough for his world. She was and would always be, street trash.

"Don't worry about where I live." she said bitterly.

"Why did you lie about slipping in the rain?" Bruce asked casually.

"Because I did." Selina spat. This technically wasn't a lie. She slipped and fell about four stories into a filthy alley and was lucky she hadn't been killed.

"At your waitressing job." he said.  
"Yes." she told him.  
"Where do you work?" he asked lightly.  
"Frank's Diner." Selina hissed.

"That's a cop hang out." Bruce laughed. "You would never work there."

"What do you know about it, rich boy?" Selina accused.

Bruce was unruffled by the remark.

"I was remembering how Jim Gordon used to take us there for dinner when we were younger. The greasiest food in the world was at that diner. I thought it was kinda cool there was a least one of the old train car style diners in Gotham." Bruce said sadly.

Selina remembered those days. Remembered Gordon, then a lowly detective with all of Gotham hating him, taking them out to eat.

Those had been a red letter days for Selina and Bruce. Gordon was, still was, a good guy. He bought them burgers and milkshakes and he listened to them with interest when they talked about the gross and gory movie he had taken them to earlier that day.

She wasn't sure why she had said Frank's, it was just stuck in her mind as a happy place. A safe place.

"I remember." Selina said sadly.

"Those were good times." Bruce admitted.

"Not all good. You were still upset about your parents." Selina pointed out.

"They had been gone less than a year." Bruce explained. "Frank's place was near where they were shot."

Selina nodded.

"I think Gordon took us there because he was hoping that I might eventually be alright with their deaths. Happy memories to overcome the bad ones." Bruce said.  
"Makes sense." Selina shrugged. "It was nice of him to let me come to."

She thought she saw a faint smile on Bruce's face, but it could have been a trick of the light.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

~ Selina insisted on a hilarious game show that was on a Japanese channel she had never heard of. She didn't need to understand what they were saying to appreciate the hilarity of contestants jumping through an insane obstacle course with the announcer laughing at their enviable fall into a pool of green slime.

It was mindless and hysterical entrainment and she loved it.

"Why can't we have game shows like this?" she laughed as a heavy set man tried to jump into a little hole, missed and fell into the slime.

Bruce looked annoyed but let her finish the show.

Her hip was bothering her again and the pain medications were making her sleepy.

"Did you want to go back upstairs?" Bruce asked. He was laying right next to her on his own recliner. They were both at least a foot apart, but the way they were reclined, their faces close together, and felt more intimate.

"No." Selina said groggily. "I'm fine."

"You want to sleep here?" he asked with a little smile.

"I want to live here." she said before nodding off.

~ It was late in the evening before Bruce, with the help of the nurse, had Selina back in her room and resting again.

He had to admit that he enjoyed having her back in his home once more. His world had seemed so empty without her.

"Maybe, once you're feeling better, we can have a small party." Bruce offered once the nurse had left them alone.

She was sitting up in bed, her medication obviously making her sleepy.  
"You know I won't like your friends." she said through a yawn.

Not wanting to intrude, Bruce sat on the edge of her bed. She looked like she belonged here. As if she had never been a street person at all.

"I don't really like them either." he agreed. "Still, you were the one who suggested more parties."  
"We can throw a Gatsby party." Selina said with a grin. "You have the mystique for it."

Bruce smiled.

"Never identified with Jay Gatsby." he mused. "I always felt closer to Nick Carraway, you know? Just lost in the tide. Things happen round me, not to me."

"Well, that's fine, because I'm no Daisy Bucannan." Selina told him.  
Bruce was impressed.  
"I didn't know you read it." he admitted.  
"Why? Just because I had to leave school that makes me stupid?" she asked.  
"I didn't mean that." Bruce told her.

"Of course that's what you meant." she snapped.

She looked down at her hands, flexed her fingers and balled them into fists.  
"Why didn't you call me sooner?" he asked pitifully.

It hurt him to know his first love had been living in a rat infested apartment. He could just imagine the horror of it.

"You've obviously been having a hard time. If it's about money, it shouldn't be." he added.

"I don't need you to take care of me." Selina said sharply. Her eyes sparking like fire. "I've taken care of myself since I was fourteen years old."  
"And look what's happened." Bruce interrupted.

Selina glared at him.  
"Is it some boyfriend? Is he hurting you? Is that why you were afraid?" he asked.  
"Bruce, I don't want to talk about this." she sighed.

He nodded.  
"Fine. You know you can always stay here for as long as you need to. I'll always keep this room open for you." he said.

He saw tears pool in her eyes. The way she kept them at bay was what really broke his heart.

He stood to leave her alone.

"I'll see you in the morning. The weather should be good and maybe we can go outside." he offered before leaving her.

~ Alfred worried about Bruce all the time. No one could tell him he wasn't a father to the young man. He became a father on the day Thomas and Martha Wayne died. Every instinct told him Selina Kyle was bad news. She had easily enchanted Bruce from the moment they met, and continued to hold him under some kind of spell.

She had lived on the streets, abandoned by her mother and father. She had grown up in a broken system, which included ten foster families before she was a teenager. When she went into a state home, she got into fights and eventually ran away.

She had dodged the former mayor's attempts to clean out the city of homeless children. Selina Kyle was a text book survivor. She seemed immune to destruction and disappointment. Perhaps that was what so fascinated Bruce.

Where her heart was made of steel, Bruce's heart was far too soft for the meanness of life. He never got over his parents murder. Alfred had hoped, that time would heal the mental trauma of the murders, but Bruce seemed to sink deeper and deeper into a black abyss.

In a way, Selina was good for Bruce. She was stronger than him. She could take the ugliness around her and accept it. For Bruce, it was always a bleeding wound.

"Alfred?" Bruce was saying.

Alfred was pulled from his thinking by Bruce showing up in the kitchen.

"Oh yes, Master Bruce. How are we this evening?" he asked.  
"Selina is sleeping. She appreciated the dinner you made for her." Bruce said.

His face looked happier somehow. It was a look Alfred hadn't seen in a long time.  
"Glad to hear that." Alfred said crisply. "Will you be going on patrol tonight, sir?"

Bruce looked conflicted.  
"I don't think so. I have my informants keeping an eye out for more activities like this, and so far nothing. After I lost the burglar in the rain, I went back to find what she was after. I found a cash of large, uncut and untraceable precious gems. I believe they were conflict diamonds from Africa. Worth millions on the black market." Bruce explained.

"Blood diamonds are not exactly legal, sir." Alfred said.  
"Which means the real criminal, was whomever exported this jewels in. I suppose in a way, the cat burglar should be commended. We never would have known about the blood diamonds if she hadn't tried to steal them. Gordon and his task force now have a bigger problem of finding this exporter." Bruce admitted. "The shop owner still hasn't reported the robbery. So that means it's mob related."

"You'll be leaving this to Gordon?" Alfred said in surprise. "I would have thought that this would be something you would want to handle on your own."

Bruce smiled. It was a real smile that Alfred wasn't used to.  
"My… counterpart is only after street crime in Gotham, Alfred." he said in a deeper voice. "I think Gordon and his men are far better equipped to handle the international blood diamond smuggling ring. I've already sent the evidence to the FBI. Maybe now, Gordon can finally put an end to organized crime in Gotham."

"That will be a good day, sir." Alfred said with a nod of pride.

Alfred was never afraid to speak his mind before. He had misgivings about Bruce's little night time adventures from the start.  
"I think now would be a good time to take a break from the night patrols, sir. What with Miss Kyle staying in the house. The little minx is libel to get into mischief."

"You're probably right, Alfred." Bruce told him.

The younger man looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Selina suggested I'm in a bit of a rut. Maybe we should host a party. Something fun." Bruce said.

Alfred raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I think that would be a lovely idea, sir." he said. "Mrs. Tripplehorn, down at the Gotham Aide Society was looking for a venue to host the Children's Charity Home. I think there was an issue with the expense of the park she wanted to rent."

"Perfect." Bruce said smartly. "Arrange it as soon as possible. Spare no expense. A circus carnival theme would be nice. Lots of kids should be invited. Allow people into the house for a little for a tour. Invite the mayor to. That will bring newspaper reporters. Let's show we have nothing to hide." Bruce said.

Alfred nodded. He would start to make phone calls tomorrow. Planning a large party like that was possible in a few day notice. With enough money, anything was possible.

It was odd Bruce was wanting to throw a party. He hated social gatherings of any size. Bruce had always been an introvert. One who was perfectly happy being alone for days on end.

Alfred always assumed the young master hated or even feared other people.

Selina had a direct hand in this. Maybe she really was good for him.

~ Selina couldn't stay at Wayne Manor anymore. Pain or no, she had to leave. Things with Bruce were becoming too close again. She had caught him looking at her that way again. As if he wanted to keep her here. Not really against her will, but she could see that he wanted her to stay indefinitely. He would want her to meet his friends soon. He would want her to dress like a proper lady and discuss literature.

Selina Kyle could never fit into Bruce Wayne's world. She would stick out too much. She would eventually embarrass him by not knowing which fork to use at a dinner party and everyone would think Bruce was a joke.

She didn't want that for him and she didn't want to be the cause of him begin a laughing stock.

She sat up out of bed and looked at the clock on the mantle. It was nearly midnight. Normally, she would be out on the city rooftops. Not safely stashed away in a beautiful manor house. A claustrophobic feeling clamped down on her chest. Like she was a caged bird trying to escape and her cage was made of gold.

Ignoring the pain, she limped over to the large windows and opened them to the night. It would be nothing at all to descend the rain gutters, scale the garden terrace, and vanish from Wayne Manor. No one suspecting her escape until morning.

She would be back in the city in just a few hours. But then what? The apartment she was crashing at was no doubt out of the question. The owners were probably home and had already called the police once they saw their food was all eaten, their seasonal clothing sold to pawn shops and their furniture brazenly sold on craigslist.

'_Next time pay to get a house sitter._' Selina had thought when she sold a marble coffee table to a pawn shop for fifty bucks.

Rilo was to be avoided at all costs. He was a nice guy when he was paid, but she had promised a large cut of the gems and now she couldn't deliver. She wanted to use that money to leave Gotham forever. Go someplace warmer like California. Never look back on Gotham again.

No, she was safer, for the moment, here at Wayne Manor. Rilo didn't know about her connection with Bruce. No one but Ivy really knew they were associated. Ivy had been gone from Selina's world for almost a year now.

Selina closed the large windows and went back to bed. She would have to let Bruce be her white knight until she could think of something else.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

~ Dawn came, as it always did, and Selina woke to the sounds and smells of the lawn being cut and workers preparing the large grounds around Wayne Manor.

"I've taken your advice." Bruce was saying over breakfast.

They had chosen to eat in the little kitchen that had more of a homey feel to it. Alfred was preparing eggs and toast for them as they watched to gardens being prepped and a large tent erected.  
"What advice?" Selina asked.

"To have a party." he said.

She grinned.  
"I see, Mr. Gastby." she said slyly.  
"Not like that. A charity circus for the children's aide." Bruce said with a rare smile.

"Ew." Selina gasped. She hated clowns.

"Well, yes but it's a kids charity. Their venue was canceled." Bruce explained.  
"Bruce, I thought you hated clowns. Remember when we were kids? That thing? With that scary clown?" she reminded him.  
"I remember." Bruce nodded.  
"Green hair? Wouldn't stop laughing?" Selina told him.

"No clowns. I promise." Bruce assured her. "But there will be rides for the kids and lots of games."

"Why are you doing this?" Selina questioned. "You never liked throwing parties before."

"I changed my mind." Bruce said simply.

He looked at his watch.  
"I would like it if you would help me meet with the party planner. We're doing this at such short notice, that everything must be decided quickly." he said.

She didn't want to help plan a party. She had never even been to a birthday party, let alone an extreme event like this one.

"Better go with him, Miss Kyle." Alfred offered. "He's libel to accidentally order go-go dancers, and that won't do."

"Alfred's right." Bruce agreed.  
"Fine." Selina sighed. "But I don't know the first thing about planning something like this."

~ "Don't worry about anything." Tipper 'Just call me Tip' Henry said. She was such an odd little woman, Selina could almost see her hosting a children's show. Her eyes were too large for her face, and she wore far too much makeup.  
"I've made up a simple model, and programs for you to see. We can sell tickets here." she pointed to a series of little booths at the entrance of the grounds. "Security won't be a problem, the company we use is very good. They will pass everyone through a metal detector and aren't afraid to throw out the riff-raff. Parking will be all done off sight and a free shuttle bus will take people from the city, to the venue, and back again. As for catering, you mentioned carnival foods at no cost?"

"That's right." Bruce nodded.

"Not to worry, with an entrance fee, they get tickets for a lot of different foods and games. So much fun for the little ones, I'm almost jealous. I'm using the same people who do those horrible friend Twinkie and butter creations. As for rides, we've already secured a ferris wheel, bumper cars, a children's roller coster and some spinning ducks."

"Spinning ducks?" Selina questioned.  
"Well, yes." Tip said. "It was short notice, we couldn't get anything else."

"Ducks will be fine." Bruce agreed. "What about music?"

"We have several local bands already eager to perform." Tip said. "There are a number of game booths that were used for the GCPD carnival last year. They are on their way now. There will be plenty to do."

"Good." Bruce said. "We'll be charging people money to get in, I want them the enjoy it. Now, what about the tour of the house?"

"An excellent question." Tip said. "I suggest we stay with the more historic section and rope off everything else. We have Miss Nancy Miller from the historical society ready to give the tour and they will stay in groups of ten or less. We don't want people wandering off in your home, now do we?"

"No, we do not." Bruce said sternly.

"And not to worry, Mr. Pennyworth has designated a visitors bathroom for the tour only. The rest will have the potable bathrooms we're erecting right now." Tip said in a hushed whisper.  
"Sounds perfect, Tip." Bruce said. He turned to Selina. "Any thoughts?"

She was still holding her orange juice from breakfast. How fast things moved when you had money. Just a few hours ago, she had suggested a party, now she had a circus unfolding around her.

"Umm. Okay?" she offered.  
"Might I say the two of you are the cutest couple I've ever seen." Tip gushed before pulling more sample planners out of her briefcase.

"We're not a couple." Selina reminded her.

"Sir?"

Bruce and Selina turned in unison to see Alfred enter the room. Tip was sorting sample menus of carnival foods the venders would be serving.  
"Yes, Alfred?" Bruce asked.

Selina noticed the butler was wearing that stern expression of worry she had only seen on him a few times before.

"I'm afraid you're needed in the study. You've a visitor." Alfred said.

Naturally curious, Selina was about to ask who was there. Before she could even speak, Bruce stood up.

"Selina, I'm sorry, but I have to take this. Perhaps you can help Tip finish the planning. I trust your tastes for the party." he said quickly.

Selina was about to argue. About to explain she had no idea how to plan parties or anything for high society.  
"Tip, Selina will be deciding on things from now on. Whatever she wants." Bruce said quickly.

Tip looked excited and Selina felt her stomach turn.

"Oh, goody, girl talk." Tip said gleefully. "Now, for the inside of the kids tent, I was thinking of doing a 'Jungle Book' theme. We can have plants for decor with some stuffed animals. A very gender neutral decor, don't you think? What kind of prizes should we give away? Books, toys or candy?"

~ "Gordon arrived just a few minutes ago, sir." Alfred said as Bruce left Selina in the sitting room. He carefully shut the doors behind him and walked quickly to his father's old study. It was the one room in the house Bruce felt comfortable. A place that he had retreated to for days on end after his parents death. It was always the room he took meetings with Gordon in.

"What does he want?" Bruce demanded harshly. These days, Bruce's relationship with Gordon was strained. Or at least it had to appear that way on the outside.

Gordon was waiting for Bruce in the study. They had first met on that awful night Bruce saw his parents murdered in cold blood. Gordon had seemed like a wise, benevolent presence that night. Bruce remembered being so scared, so broken inside.

Jim Gordon came into his life like the older brother he had always wanted. He was fearless and yet humble. He was even pretty cool at times. It was Gordon who influenced Bruce more than anything else.

"I trust there is a reason for this impromptu visit?" Bruce asked harshly. He had stormed into his father's study with the mock arrogance only a rich man's son could project. It was important to be arrogant, impatient and rude. It would throw Gordon off the scent of Bruce's night time activities.

Jim Gordon looked up from a file he was leafing through. He was a different man these days. He was once boyishly handsome, now he looked almost bitter from his never ending fight against the scum of Gotham.

"I'm sure you've heard, we're hosting an event here soon. A lot of planning." Bruce added lazily.

"I'll be brief. What do you know about blood diamonds, Bruce?" Gordon asked without preamble.

Bruce stopped in his tracks. His mind working quickly on how much Gordon could know, verses how much he thought he knew. Like always, it was best to play dumb.

"It was a movie, right?" he asked in a well practice tone he had heard from the frat boys at school.

Gordon grinned. Not a happy grin. It was more of a grin that hid a seething hatred.

"Are you in the market for conflict diamonds, Mr. Wayne?" Gordon asked.

Bruce knew what this was about. He counted to five in his head and spoke in his normal voice.

"Would you like Alfred to bring us something to drink?"

"No, I'm on the clock." Gordon said simply.

Bruce nodded to Alfred who politely excused himself.

After the sounds of the butler's footsteps faded away, Bruce sat down across from Gordon.  
"I assume there is a reason you're asking me this." he said.  
"A jewelry store was robbed a few nights ago." Gordon said plainly. "It wasn't reported to the police by the owners which was odd. Instead, over five million in blood diamonds were turned into the FBI. By mail, I might add."

"Blood diamonds? And you think I'm a buyer?" Bruce asked with a laugh.

"No, but I think you might know something about it." Gordon said simply.

"Blood diamonds are tacky, Gordon." Bruce said. "Those in my circle are far too civil minded to buy or sell them. It's not worth the jail time for something that we could easily buy legitimately. Besides, the new trend in jewelry is vintage. Everyone knows that."

Gordon looked annoyed.  
"Do you know who would buy such things, Mr. Wayne?" he said.

"Not a clue." Bruce said.

"You'll forgive my suspicion, Bruce. You'll recall that Wayne Enterprises has been involved in this type of international crime before." Gordon snapped.  
"Wayne Enterprises is not behind this, Gordon." Bruce said coldly. "I think you'll agree that I've rooted out all the bad seeds in my father's company and paid the price for it. The mob knows better than to trust the name Wayne now."

Gordon was silent. Both men glaring at each other and refusing to give an inch.  
"That jewelry store, in the bad part of town, was a perfect cover for distributing highly valuable and untraceable diamonds. If it hadn't been broken into, no one would ever have known about the operation. Bruce, if I find out you, or your company were involved in the purchase or sale of blood diamonds in Gotham, I won't let our former friendship stand in my way of arresting you." Gordon said.

"Your personal feelings have never stood in your way of doing what's right, Gordon." Bruce said lazily. "Go ahead and investigate. I'll inform Lucius Fox to give you all the help you'll need. He practically lives at Wayne Enterprises these days."

Bruce stood and gave Gordon an arrogant smile.  
"If there's nothing else, Gordon." he said

~ Selina was carful with the way her feet were placed. She walked with her heel first, then slowly rolled over to her foot. She made no sounds at all when she pressed her ear to the door of Bruce's study.

It had been easy to ditch Tip and escape. She was curious as to what would make Bruce leave so suddenly. She heard Gordon's angry voice and then the words that sent chills up her spine. '_Blood Diamonds_'.

Gordon was asking Bruce if Wayne Enterprises was behind selling them. The jewelry shop she had been trying to rob when she was hurt had been carrying blood diamonds. That was why Rilo wanted them. That was why only she could get them. If she hadn't been hurt, Selina would have been eliminated by the mob in retaliation. Rilo had set her up for failure from the start.

She was in a no win situation. If Rilo found her, he would kill her. If the mob found her, they would kill her. Not to mention the freak was still hunting her. No doubt all of them would think she was in posses of the diamonds and had skipped town. She was as good as dead.

Even with her injury, she made no sound as she moved back to the sitting room to listen to Tip talk about party music.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

~ Bruce returned to the little sitting room where Selina and Tip were discussing theme related decorations for the dance platform.

"Oh, good news, Mr. Wayne!" Tip said happily. "I've just gotten off the phone with Steven Murphy. He was able to secure the last of the moon bounce castles. That will make five in total!'

Bruce wasn't exactly sure what a moon bounce was, but he had to assume it was good by the wide smile Tip had plastered on her face.

"Good to hear." he managed to say.

He looked at Selina and saw she looked a little flush.

"Tip, why don't we call it a day?" he asked.

"We still have to discuss the host dinner." Tip said in shock. "The Mayor and his family will be there. We have to plan it."

"Alfred is more than capable of making those decisions, Tip." Bruce said. "He's in the hall."

Tip looked a little confused but flashed her larger than life smile, took her sample books, and left them in peace.

As soon as the doors closed behind her, Bruce felt Selina sag back into the couch.

"Selina, I'm sorry I left you with her. It's not your party." he said.

He took her hand in his, and kissed her ring finger. Once upon a time, it had a special meaning for them. He looked to see if she remembered.  
"I think I need to go back to bed." Selina said weakly.

"You're in pain?" Bruce asked. "I can have the nurse bring you something."

"No, I just need to be off this hip for a little while. My rib is hurting to." she said sadly.

Bruce nodded and helped her to stand. She seemed too fragile these days. Her injury making her almost like glass to touch.  
He allowed her to put as much weight as she needed to on him. His workouts, his constant training, had given him a more impressive physique than just a few years ago.  
"Maybe we can have dinner together." Bruce prompted.

"I'd like that." Selina said. She allowed him to help her back into her chair, but insisted on pushing herself free.  
"I can manage." she said quickly.

He had made a move to push her to the elevator and then back to her room.

"Bruce?" she said before opening the doors?"  
"Yes?"

"I appreciate your letting me stay here, but from now on, please don't come into my room without permission." she said.

With effort, Selina braced open the heavy oak doors on her own, and pushed herself out.

Bruce Wayne stood dumbfounded in her wake.

~ It was always hard to push Bruce away. Selina hated to be the ugly person she knew was her true self. She knew that it hurt him to say he wasn't welcome in her bedroom any longer. Even if the visits were platonic.

When they were young and innocent, it was pure manners that kept Bruce away from her bedroom. He had a typical fear of girls back then. As teenagers, when fate pulled them together, it was easy to have him in the same room. It was only talking at first. Maybe watching TV or something friends would do. How easy it had been to become so much more in those days.

It wasn't so very long ago that Selina had given Bruce her whole heart. Then, reality broke apart their fairy tale life. It was tempting to hide out here in his castle, but she was in more danger than she thought before.

People would soon know she was staying at Wayne Manor. This party, the Mayor. Gordon would find out soon enough to. It wouldn't take much for anyone to piece together her injuries with the break in. They had happened on the same night Bruce was already suspicious of her story.

She had to leave Wayne Manor tonight if possible. If Rilo or one of his men came here, Bruce or Alfred could get hurt.

Alfred might be able to defend himself, but Bruce was hopeless when it came to violence. He was trained to fight with boxing gloves and fencing swords. He couldn't fight off a group of hardened street criminals.

The best thing for Bruce was to leave him. Get out of Gotham and never come back.

She would have to wait until the cover of night, before slipping away. Bruce couldn't know, he would try to talk her out of it. Even though Bruce knew she was a thief when she lived on the streets, he never judged her for it. He seemed to understand it was about survival and not to be taken personally.

She had lied to him about having a job and she was sure he didn't believe her. But he never called her out on it. It was the part of him that she loved the most. How adaptable and understanding he was. He never really trusted her, but accepted that she couldn't be trusted, and was her friend anyway.

She took her pain medication, her rib and hip really hurting her after she snuck away to listen to Gordon's conversation. She would take a quick nap, and wait for darkness.

~ Bruce was seldom fooled by Selina Kyle. She was hiding something from him, the way she avoided looking at him. The anger and the need for space were all classic tells. She would be terrible at poker.

"Alfred." Bruce said after the butler had finished with Tip.

"Yes, Master Wayne?" Alfred said pleasantly. In just fifteen minutes, he had ordered a pristine dinner for the mayor and other VIP guests that would come to the grand opening the day before the party.

"When we installed the motion devices in the house, we put pressure sensors on the windows upstairs, right?" Bruce asked.  
"Absolutely." Alfred said. "With the large windows in the rooms there, we can't have unannounced visitors. Especially with your recent… well, hobby, shall we say."

"Miss Kyle's room?" Bruce asked.  
"She opened the windows last night, sir. Wanted some fresh air, I expect." Alfred offered sadly.  
"I'll be monitoring the sensors from my phone." Bruce told him.

"Are we expecting Miss Kyle to leave us in her usual way?" Alfred asked.  
"If you mean, by anything but the front door, yes." Bruce said dryly. "I'll be downstairs."

Alfred nodded. They were on the ground floor of Wayne Manor, but that didn't mean there wasn't a lower level. A much lower level that Bruce would retreat to when he was tired of being Bruce Wayne.

~ In his father's study, Bruce had changed just one thing. A large, ornate grandfather clock ticked the long, lonely hours away. No one used grandfather clocks anymore. They were a pointless waste of space for the busy people in Gotham City. You could look at your watch or your phone to get the time. No one even had room for such a thing that ticked so loudly anyway.

But Bruce liked the old clock. He had bought it at auction in Paris and paid to have it masterfully restored to his exact specifications.

A minor switch on the inside, a thing no one would ever notice, was placed just under the clock face. A switch, that when Bruce Wayne or Alfred needed it, moved the clock open with silent ease.

Bruce looked down the flight of stairs that lead to a massive cave like hold. The concrete stairs had all been done by contractors. An underground garage, he had told them, to keep safe his collection of rare sports cars. He had let the out of state contractors do most of the work, then completed all the secrets additions himself. It had taken years to accomplish and it would never be finished.

Without a second thought, he left behind the sad life of Bruce Wayne and stepped into Batman's world.

_**I would love to hear some more feedback about this story. If you like the direction it's going in, or if you think there could be another view point I'm not looking at yet. I have an idea for a second part to this, but I'm not sure if I'm on the right track for my readers. Let me know, people!**_


	8. Chapter 8

8.

~ Gordon had risked his life more than once tearing down the mob brick by brick and trying to eliminate corruption in the GCPD. Bruce could understand why the idea that blood diamonds, with their ties to organized crime, would be so upsetting. Perhaps there was a new player in town. A new puppet master who was calling the shots. Bruce's informants didn't seem to have a clue about a new Don.

Bruce relied on a web of informants to keep his enemies in check. Many of them were homeless, or former police officers. Some were journalist or neighborhood junk yard owners. It was shocking how much junk yard owners knew about crime.

In the cave like underground bunker, Bruce ran a series of searches. His computer, an amazing new technology from NASA, allowed him to search anything in the world without the search being traced back to him. It could run algorithms on anything from terrorist cells, to the best route to take to beat the traffic. With it, he could easily break into GCPD's fire walls and explore criminal files. He could find information on Arkham Asylum's patients and track their whereabouts at any time. He could use the millions of cameras in shops and in the streets to spy on crime for him. He could even activate the web cameras in a persons phone or computer and watch them. He could create dummy protocols that would completely mask his car from police scanners. He could make the lights in the entire city of Gotham shut off if he took a fancy, and no one would know he was responsible. It was the most powerful computer in the world. To bad it was so damn big.

It had to be brought into the cave piece by piece over the period of a year at no small expense or trouble to himself. Fox said that the computer, with it's easy spy network was too much. That it was a 'Big Brother' tactic and he wanted no part of it.

Bruce had never lied to Lucius Fox before, but he had to lie about keeping this computer. It was the only one in the world and it was invaluable to him.

A quick hack into the shipping yards failed to come up with any leads. No, chatter about rouge diamonds on the market either.

Bruce let out an annoyed sigh.

'_Better work backwards._' he thought angrily. '_Start with the thief on the rooftop of the jewelry store. Who was she working for?_'

Digital video camera's were everywhere, but the crime ridden ally where the mysterious burglar struck was lacking in them. Crime in that neighborhood wanted to stay in the dark. Bruce wasn't able to get a good view into the ally from traffic cameras and once more, he was out of luck.

_'Looks like I'll have to do things the hard way._' he thought to himself.

~ Batman was getting used to his new persona. He liked it. He felt more confident when he dressed all in black and secured the hood with it's protective helmet on his head.

The night vision inside the cowl was apart of Wayne Enterprises experimental department. Fox had created it for combat as well at the light weight armor Bruce wore. It was armor that had proven useful when the cat burglar attacked him with a wench a few nights ago.

He also didn't mind the car.

Another one of Wayne Enterprise's innovations, it was untraceable and unremarkable on the outside. No one would give the sporty black coupe a second glance. It wasn't a new model and never stood out. But inside, Batman's car was the most sophisticated vehicle in the world.

He could accesses his NASA computer from a side screen. He could employ facial recognition from behind info red windows. He could deploy evasive measures at speeds of over 200 miles per hour if he was being chased and, if need be, the car could even drive itself. The NASA computer sending it commands and changing the street lights to green to speed a getaway.

If there was real trouble, Batman could easy blow it up with a mixture of chemicals. It would burn the car so badly, no one would ever be able to trace it.

Hopefully, it would never come to that as Batman drove down the eerily abandoned neighborhood just after sunset. He never went out during the day like this. His persona was a creature of darkness and in the darkness, he worked best.

He had no trouble at all finding the local fence.

He had first learned about fences from Selina Kyle of all people. Back when she was just a kid and had to steal to survive, she had taken him to such a creature. A man who worked like a pawn shop dealer but with no morals. The Fence would give her money for stolen items, and almost seemed impressed she had been able to steal them.

~ In the darkness, Batman waited. This place used to be a church, but was abandoned years ago when the crime got too bad. Now, a local gang set up shop here and ran a sort of business. Batman eyed a particularly presumptuous man sitting at a desk. All around him were trinkets. Gold watches, jewelry, leather jackets.

Batman adjusted the night vision in his helmet and saw the man at the desk was creating fake credit cards. He'd seen enough. There was evidence here to send the man away, but not before Batman got information from him.

~ It was easy enough. Like a dance really. Batman created a diversion outside the old church using a delayed voice recording. His favorite was the sound of a car wreck. That always made people come outside to see the damage.

Once they left the safety of the building, Batman used a quick release grappling gun to secure the door and lock them out.

In mere minutes, Batman was alone with the leader of the group. He stalked his would be prey from the rafters. A feeling of raw power seizing his body as he swung down and landed neatly, and silently in the shadows.

The man behind the desk heard him, jumped to his feet and was immediately knocked out.

~ It took smelling salts to bring the man around again. Batman would have to learn not to hit so hard in the future. He couldn't get information from this local thug if he was unconscious.

He could hear the gang members outside banging on the doors to be let in, so he had to work fast.

"Who gave the order for the jewelry store robbery?" Batman growled.

The man's eyes grew wide at seeing him. Batman knew he was intimidating. He was dressed all in black and the visor on his helmet, glowed slightly red from the night vision.  
"What do you mean?" the man asked.

Batman punched him in the kidneys hard enough to make the man cry out.  
"The robbery of the old jewelry store, who ordered it?" Batman demanded.

"Not me!" the man cried. "Shop belongs to Lambisie. We don't mess with him."

"Someone messed with him." Batman growled.

"I don't know who gave the order." the man said and Batman knew he was telling the truth. There was a look of fear in the man's eyes. "But I have an idea who your thief was."

Batman bent over the man, grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back.

"Who?" he asked.  
"No one can just break into Lambisie's shop. It might not look like much, but it's got real protection. Whoever hired her, knew she was a pro. There's nothing she can't get into. Safes, stores, banks. She can crack anything." the man shouted in fear. "She's the best and I know it was her that broke into Lambisie's shop. She's been missing for the past few nights now. She's got people after her for not delivering. Price on her head and everything."

"Her **name**!" Batman shouted.

"Selina!" the man cried. "Selina Kyle!"

~ Gordon received a strange call from an untraceable number that told him he could find a credit card fraud safe house in the old church.

Sure enough, when Gordon and his men entered, several men were tied with duct tape around a large marble pillar. Evidence of numerous credit card frauds, along with stolen jewelry, were everywhere.

Later, toxicology reports would show they had been dosed with LSD. A mild hallucinogen that Gordon knew wasn't their style. The LSD was similar to what the late Doctor Crane was experimenting with. Which might explain why they were saying a giant man bat came into the church and flew around.

~ By the time Bruce Wayne made it back through the grandfather clock in his father's study, it was almost nine o'clock. He had promised Selina they could have dinner, but Alfred would have made an excuse for him. He hadn't meant to return so late in the evening. His mind had trouble processing all he had learned tonight.

He felt his cell phone vibrate and he checked the burglar alarm program. Selina's window was open. He could just picture her. Fractured hip and broken rib. Stubborn as always, climbing down the drain pipe trying to leave him. Why didn't she like the front door? She wasn't a prisoner here.

Bruce took a deep breath. He had to stay calm. He couldn't let on that he knew anything. He didn't want to believe it at first. That she had graduated from petty theft to stealing conflict diamonds. He should have put it together sooner. Her injury was on the same night as the botched robbery. Hell, even Gotham General was close by. She could have made it on foot. Of course she was the cat burglar and she was hurt trying to outrun him. It was a tragedy worthy of Shakespeare. How could he have not seen it? Were his feeling for Selina that strong that he blocked everything else out?

Alfred would love to hear this. He had always suspected Selina of being trouble. He told Bruce more than once that he was blinded by her charms. Now it wasn't just his feeling that would get hurt by Selina's treachery, she was in real danger. She had bitten off more than she could chew and very bad people would come looking for her and those diamonds. Not to mention how close she was to discovering who he really was.

How would she feel about him if she found out he was the one who chased her off the roof that night?

Bruce pushed these thoughts aside, left the study and walked into another sitting room. It was the same sitting room they had done the party planning in and boasted a beautiful view of the lawns and the slumbering circus outside. Tip had already placed the rides on the lawn and were waiting for tomorrow night. He watched in the shadows as Selina, fully dressed in her street clothes, all black of course, carefully climbing down from a drain pipe.


	9. Chapter 9

9.

He watched her make her way down the wall from her bedroom. His stomach felt tight with fear she would fall. If she landed wrong, she might really hurt herself. He chose to reveal himself and help her, rather than just watch her try to make her painful way down.

He stepped out onto a covered patio and, on silent feet, crept just below her. The shadows protecting him from view.

Her eyes were focused on not looking down and her bad leg, was dangling free from the rock face of Wayne Manor.  
"Selina." Bruce said dryly and she cringed at the sound of her name.

Bruce tried to stay casual. Tired not to laugh at the comic way she had been caught.  
"Why don't you just use the front door? It would be easier, I think." he asked.

Selina looked down on him. Her eyes were alarmingly lovely in the moonlight. Something was oddly romantic and playful about the way she was caught climbing down from her own window.  
"I didn't want to disturb you." she said breathlessly.  
"I was already up. Are you leaving because I had to cancel our dinner plans?" he asked.

"No." she said and gave him a little smile.

He grinned back.  
"This is embarrassing." she admitted.  
"I know what you're up to." Bruce said darkly.

"What?" she asked. Her pretty face full of worry. "What am I up to?"

"You want to see the circus before anyone else." he accused lightly. "You wanted to be the first to ride all the rides before the VIP's got here tomorrow evening."

Selina looked relived.  
"That's… that's exactly right, Bruce." she said with a false smile. "I did. I was sneaking out, to look at the circus you put up."

Bruce moved a patio table over and placed it under her.

"You should have said something." he told her when her foot safely reached the table top and his hands were helping her down.

She was flushed from the adventure of climbing down the rain spout.

"We can go on the Farris wheel if you like." he told her.

Selina looked slightly winded, but gave him a smile.  
"Okay." she told him.

"Are you okay to walk?" he asked as she took his arm. She was leaning on him more than normal. All her weight going to her uninjured side.

"Sure." she said. "The doctor said it was a thin crack, and I could still walk. Just not to overdo it."

He could tell she was hurting, but said nothing. She always had to be brave. Always had to hide and keep everything from him. He felt it was a good punishment for her to be in a little amount of pain now. He tried not to think about all the lies she had told him over the years. How many of them he believed. It made him feel like a fool that he thought he could trust Selina Kyle again.

Tip had done her job well. She had the Farris wheel installed along with a merry-go-round and several other rides. All of them lighting up when Bruce flipped a switch. The merry-go-round even playing a fun tune to attract riders.

Selina looked so happy at seeing the empty rides. He loved the way her eyes lit up at the sight of the carnival coming to life on Wayne Manor grounds.

"Wow." she said with a big grin.

"I'll tell Tip you approve." Bruce said with a laugh.  
"I can't believe this was all done in one day." she breathed. Bruce was helping her climb the steps of the Farris wheel. He helped her into a seat which swung loosely as soon as she sat down.

"Just a second." Bruce told her. "I have to start it, but I'll be back."

With a boyish glee he hadn't felt in years, he blamed it on the carnival, Bruce jumped to the platform, found the controls and pressed start. The Farris wheel started moving and Selina screamed in delight and terror.  
"Bruce!" she cried out and started laughing. Not about to let her ride alone, Bruce jumped off the platform, ran to catch her seat before it left the ground. He managed to grab the support rod above, and swing neatly beside her.

He ignored her shocked face as he lowered the bar over their laps and the swinging chair rose into the sky.  
"Bruce, that was really dangerous!" she told him.

He laughed. After taking down that gang leader in the church a few hours ago, he felt he could do anything.  
"You said you wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel." he said.

He grinned happily at the flabbergasted look on her face.

"I've never seen you act like this before." she laughed. "What's gotten into you?"

"I think it's the circus." he explained.

He felt her hand slide into his as their seat reached to its full height on the wheel.

"There's Gotham." Selina said sadly.

Bruce saw the city in the distance. Its light were glittering across the river like jewels.

"It looks small from this height." Selina said.

"Yes." Bruce agreed. "Are you planning to go back there?"  
"I'm not sure where I'll end up." she admitted sadly.

She looked longingly at the lights of Gotham.

"You know, when we were kids, Ivy and I planned on having a really cool little apartment together in the village with all the artists and musicians." she said with a laugh. "We were going to be hipsters."

Bruce smiled.

"We would hang out in coffee shops and blues bars with all the creative genius in Gotham." she added and laughed at herself.

"What happened?" Bruce asked gently.

"Ivy… disappeared one day. No one knew what happened to her. I'm scared she was…" Selina looked off into the distance as the wheel rolled around again. "Gotham isn't a very forgiving place sometimes, Bruce."

"You know, you could have called me sooner. There was no need for you to live out on the streets. I know that's what's happened. It's nothing to be ashamed of. I would have helped you. You know that." he said.

Selina was silent at the wheel took them back down and the city was obscured by the tress.  
"Bruce, I understand my world. I can make it in my world. I'm not good at… at your world." she admitted.

"My world." he repeated darkly. If only she knew the truth about his world. "Selina, you need help. After everything you've done for me. Let me help you get a decent place to live. Away from the bad elements."

"Bruce, I'm fine." she insisted.

"I'll always help you." Bruce said. He hoped she believed that. "I'll always help you and I'll never judge you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Selina aid with a nervous laugh. "I told you, everything is fine."

"Selina, are you in trouble with someone?" He asked. "Something to do with your past?"

"No." she lied. "Everything is fine. Better than fine. In fact, I'm feeling so much better, I think I might leave in the morning."

"I see." Bruce said. "Through the front door this time?"

Selina avoided his gaze.

"I'd like to get off now." she sad softly. The wheel was approaching the ground again and Bruce, angry at the only woman he had ever loved, neatly unhinged the lock from the bar, slid out and dropped to the ground, all without making the seat move. He managed to hit the stop button just as Selina's seat, safety bar, fitted neatly over her lap arrived at the base of the wheel.

"You could have just called Alfred." she told him dryly.

He took her hand and helped her to stand.

She winced and leaned hard on his shoulder.

They hobbled off the main lawn, Bruce taking a moment to turn the lights off of the circus as they left.

"Thank you." Selina said weakly as he helped her back inside. " I've never ridden a Farris wheel before."

He wanted her to stay at Wayne Manor with him. He remembered clearly just after his parents death when she was here. How she made the tightness in his chest go away. How he had smiled like a normal kid again. How she had bossed him around and teased him and never walked on egg shells around him. Her life was much harder than his, and she was a survivor. A trait he had alway envied.

Inside, his other persona was yelling at him to keep Selina Kyle as far away from Wayne Manor as possible. She could stumble onto his secret life at any moment. She was in danger if anyone found out she was here.

An idea occurred to him that was so perfect, so dangerous and… it just might work.

"Selina, why don't you stay another day? At least till we can make other arrangements for you?" Bruce asked. His plan fitting neatly in his head.

"Bruce, I don't know." she said sadly. "I think it's time for me to go."

"One more day at least. I need a date for the party." he said with a smile. "Let's face it, I'm hopeless with women."


	10. Chapter 10

10.

~ Selena tried to relax. The dress Tip had picked out for her hugged her waist, hips and chest in a way she wasn't used to. She didn't have much experience with dressing up in fancy anything. Not since prom at least. At least then she had bought her little dress at a cool thrift shop downtown with Ivy. It was nothing compared to this dress that had its own special designer from Paris.

"I think it looks lovely." Tip was saying as the older woman secured a long red sash around Selena's waist for the 'pop of color' it needed.

Selena tried not to fidget while Tip worked her magic. She had already put on makeup and had her hair done for the evening. Instead of feeling pretty, she felt increasingly out of place. As if it were all a costume instead of something normal.

When the beautician expert came to Wayne Manor to do her hair and makeup, Selena was made to feel terribly flawed with all the work she had to do to get ready.

She had always washed her face with whatever was in the bathroom of wherever she was staying. Same went with shampooing. But that had all been a mistake, according to the expert.

Now she was to start a regiment of eucalyptus cleanser and a special shampoo meant to relax some of the frizz in her hair. Suddenly, Selena felt every imperfection was too noticeable and she would never measure up. She didn't feel pretty at all, she felt like a joke.

How could some women find this relaxing and fun?

Then came the dress. Tip and the expert had brought in several dresses. Some were pink with sparkly stones. Others were dark shades of blue. The expert took Selena's measurements, and quickly said she was too wide to wear the pink or the blue. That black would be more slimming.

Now, Selena felt ugly and fat. When she looked in the mirror now, her face made up, her hair done, her black dress reaching to the floor with a red sash to add color, she couldn't help but feel slightly queazy.

~ It was easier for Bruce to get dressed. He had a few formal tuxedos to choose from. Alfred selected a simple black jacket and tie for him to wear. It was dinner with the mayor, after all and Bruce had to maintain a certain look. He hadn't been stingy with the guest list either. He had invited several other guests from the elite of Gotham. One guest would be a business man that Bruce was very eager to introduce Selena to.

"I think, sir." Said Alfred. "That this will be the first time Selena is meeting the Mayor."

Bruce looked back at his own reflection coldly. He never thought of himself like this these days. Not dressed in a suit, hair slicked back and looking so… normal. When he thought of himself, he pictured something darker.

He took in his own face for a moment. How unlike his parents he was. They smiled so easily and they never looked sad. Maybe that was only in pictures that he could really remember them. Everyone smiled and looked happy in pictures. Even Bruce Wayne.

"The mayor is just an elected official. He's a dinner guest. So is Gordon and several other people." he said darkly. "Selena has no reason to be nervous."

"I'm not worried about her being nervous, sir." Alfred said quickly. "I'm just concerned that she may… well, speak her mind a little too freely."

Bruce grinned.

"I hope she does, Alfred." he said and finished his tie. "Is the photographer here, Alfred?"

"From the paper?" Alfred asked in surprise. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Make sure he's gets pictures of all our guests tonight." Bruce told him. Take out a full page ad in the Gotham Harold if you have to. I want everyone photographed and everyone's picture seen."

"Certainly, sir." Alfred said. With a little bow, he left.

~ "How about this, Gordon?" the Mayor laughed. "I'm sure it's really something for you to be invited to a party like this. You must feel like a big shot now."  
Gordon winced, gave the mayor a phony smile and went back to talking to Harvey Dent.

"Maybe you should run for mayor, not just settle for the District Attorney." Gordon said through gritted teeth.  
"One step at a time." Harvey told him. "Things will be better once you're appointed commissioner."

Gordon smirked. Harvey was always throwing around the idea of Gordon taking over Lowe's place as commissioner of the GCPD.

"Name one man in this city who is more qualified." Dent challenged.  
"The mayor will never go for it." Gordon said sulkily.

"Like you said, mayor's change." Dent told him in a hushed whisper.

Gordon noticed Dent's attention was pulled away from their conversation. It was like the mood of the entire room had shifted. All the men had stopped talking, and for a room with so many self righteous men in it, that was really something.  
"Who is that?" Dent asked with a long breath.

Gordon turned to see a slim, athletic young woman in her very early twenties timidly entering the room.  
Her long black dress with a red sash tied around her was it made her look like a delightful throwback to when women really knew how to dress. Her make-up and hair was stunning but not overly done. Nothing to hide her natural beauty.  
"Selena." Gordon said when he saw her.

To Gordon, this goddess was nothing. He still remembered the kid who left him in a sewer. Who outsmarted him at every turn and who refused to be placed in a foster home or stop wearing that grey hoodie.

She smiled at him. Obviously relived to see someone she knew.  
"Bruce said you'd be here." Gordon said and took her arm in his.

"Is that all he said?" Selena asked nervously.

"Let me introduce you to the mayor." Gordon told her and guided her to the large group of well dressed people. The mayor grinned at Selena as if it were Christmas. She was easily the most beautiful woman in the room and that fact did not go unnoticed by anyone.

"Mister Mayor, this is one of Bruce Wayne's good friends, Miss Selena Kyle." Gordon said proudly.

"Oh, so we finally meet one of Bruce's lady friends." the Mayor said with a sleazy chuckle.

Gordon felt the bile rise up in his throat at seeing the older man lust after Selena like this.

"He has good taste in women." the mayor said. "Of course, when you're a billionaire, the women come to meet you."  
"I think we've meet before, Mister Mayor." Selena said casually. Her tone was the same level of sarcasm Gordon expected from her.

"I would remember you." The mayor laughed.  
"Well, it was a few years ago." Selena told him. "I was with a bunch of street kids that were being rounded up like stray dogs and shipped to substandard institutions. I'm sure you remember. You made a big speech about it in the papers. Then those lunatics kidnapped the bus I was on and were going to sell us off to the highest bidder. Your administration did nothing to find us. Thank God, Detective Gordon stepped in and rescued us. After that, those same kids were allowed to rot in a juvenile homes until they aged out. Then, they were thrown out on the streets."

The Mayor went pale at her little speech. He jaw slacked and he was beginning to look angry.  
"I know all this because I still talk to some of them. Tell me, when are you going to start helping them? Next re-election campaign? You failed them as children, are you planning to fail them as adults?" she said smartly.

The mayor looked like he was ready to shout at her when Gordon pulled her away.  
"Selena, let me introduce you to Harvey Dent. I've know him for years. He's running for District Attorney." Gordon said with a smirk. He couldn't remember being so happy. He had never seen the mayor dressed down so badly. It was long overdue.

"Fine." Selena sighed. "I'll be back, Mister Mayor and we can discuss what you're plans are for the narrows. It's the most crime ridden part of the city and I am eager to hear your plan."

"Our plans for the narrows is very complicated. Too much to explain to someone like you." the Mayor growled.

"I'm sure Miss Kyle can understand any plan, sir." a dark voice interrupted the conversation.

Gordon turned to see Bruce Wayne, Gotham's son, standing in the doorframe. The young man, was impressive looking these days. Nothing at all like the scared little boy he first met all those years ago.

"I think it would be best to leave politics out of our party tonight." Bruce said. "Tomorrow is our carnival and we're all here to lend our support to a good cause."

"Yes!" said the mayor happily. "It was very gracious of you to lend us your property and pay for the attractions. That will mean a lot more money for the children."

The mayor raised his glass to Bruce who refused to accept the praise.

"It is a tax write off." Bruce said with a smile.

Gordon's breath caught when he saw another man enter the sitting room. He was better dressed than even Bruce Wayne. Complete with gold cufflinks and a a matching tie pin. He was Gordon's age but looked older and meaner.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Francis Lambisie." Bruce said effortlessly. "He's a business contact of mine and will be jointing us for dinner.

Gordon felt his blood pressure rise sharply and he gripped Selena's arm harder.

"What is it?" she whispered while Bruce was introducing Mr. Lambisie around to his other guests. The mayor especially seemed pleased to meet the new arrival.

Because Gordon still thought of her as a child, he shook his head. He didn't say how Frank "the lamb" Lambisie was making his way up the criminal ladder and would soon have a monopoly over sections of Gotham crime. Hell, even Penguin was concerned. What was he doing here? Why was Bruce associated with such a man? Was it possible that Wayne Enterprises wasn't as clean as Bruce would have them believe?"


	11. Chapter 11

11.

~ "Selina, what is it you do?" Harvey asked eagerly. Dent was on her right while the wait staff was serving the first course.

They were all at dinner after having their pictures all taken by the newspaper photographer. The photographer, a very pretty young blond woman had done the honors with her smart phone only. When the mayor made a sarcastic comment about her indifference to the job, she was quick witted about her response.

"I'm a journalism student and an unpaid intern, sir." she said. "I wasn't allowed to check out the more expensive cameras. The main press crew will be at the party tomorrow."

"Well, we'll see if you'll be working at the Gotham Harold after this." the mayor snapped.

"We'll see." the young woman said sarcastically.

Selina hadn't enjoyed the experience of standing around with Bruce and Mr. Lambisie having her picture taken. She tried to smile, but it didn't feel right.

"These aren't going to be in the paper are they?" she whispered to Bruce before the blond girl was done.  
"Probably not. It's the circus they want for the society pages." Bruce whispered back.  
"What do I do?" Selina mimicked back at Dent at dinner.  
"Yes, are you still in school? What's your major? What kind of work do you want to go into?" he asked.

Dent was a handsome man. Older than her, but that was hardly noticeable. Gordon seemed to like him and that was something in his favor.

"I'm kinda roughing it right now." she said feebly.

"Good idea." Dent said with a charming smile. "Get yourself together, find your passion before you go off to college and blow all your money for school."

Selina smiled and nodded.

"Bruce, what are you doing with yourself?" Harvey Dent asked. Selina looked to her left at the table. Bruce Wayne seemed annoyed at something, his features pulled into a scowl.

"Studies." he said darkly.  
"You're in your sophomore year at your father's school. Isn't that right?" Dent asked.

"Junior." Bruce said. "Double major of economics and physics."

"Double major is a lot to take on." the mayor said. "You need to have fun. Lord knows I never took on so much in college. I was in the fraternity of course and we had a party every other week."

Gordon looked annoyed and Selina could just imagine what he was thinking.

"So, Bruce, how did you and this charming young lady meet?" Mrs. VanBrown asked.

Mrs. VanBrown was the matriarch of the wealthy VanBrown family of Gotham. There were museums and galleries and opera houses with her name on it. She was just as influential as the Wayne family had been.

"Several years ago." Bruce said. Selina glanced at him. She wanted to tell this rich old lady that she had met Bruce when she saw his parents murdered in cold blood. But such a thing might hurt him, and she didn't want that.

"We had mutual friends." Bruce told the older woman.

"I see." Mrs. VanBrown said. "And Selina, where in Gotham do you live?"

"I-" Selina started to say before Bruce interrupted her.  
"Detective Gordon, I read the oddest thing in the paper the other day. About a group of credit card forgers tired up in a church?" Bruce asked.

Gordon looked a little surprised about the turn of the conversation but played along.  
"Yes, it was a local crew. Making fake cards and selling fake jewelry. Nothing too big time." Gordon said.

"Where was this?" Mrs. VanBrown asked.  
"The narrows." Gordon said.

"That whole area needs to be torn down." Another woman, the wife of someone important said. "There is nothing but criminals there. All those disgusting tenement houses. It makes the whole city look bad."

Selina had to bite her tongue.

"It's not that easy." the mayor said casually. "The city can't just condemn an entire three square miles. Those buildings still belong to people."  
"What do you suggest, Mr. Lambisie?" Gordon asked.

The sound of his voice made everyone stop their arguing and look at the GCPD detective who was so good at pissing off the wrong people.

Selina felt the tension of the moment and looked nervously from Gordon to Lambisie. She didn't really know this man, although the name sounded familiar. She couldn't exactly remember where she had heard it before. Something about sheep, she thought.

Lambisie, dressed in a fine Italian cut suit smiled at Gordon.  
"Politics aside, the mayor is right. If the owners of the buildings are not willing to sell out, then that must mean they are happy with the way things are." he said with a contented, cat like grin. "After all, they would have sold the land to the city if there was no profit in it." he added.

"The narrows is a breeding ground for crime. That's the profit in it." Gordon challenged.

Lambisie shrugged.  
"I know nothing about such politics. I'm a building contractor." he said.

Selina took in his smooth hands and well manicured nails. He had never worked with his hands before.

Harvey Dent moved in closer to her.  
"We are ruining this nice dinner party with all this talk of crime." he said with a laugh. "I get enough of that at work."

Selina could smell his aftershave he was so close and it wasn't unpleasant.  
"So, Miss. Kyle, what do you like to do for fun?"

~ It was an excruciating dinner for Gordon. He had called out Lambisie and been shot down. Harvey Dent hadn't even backed him up, but that was typical Harvey Dent. No wonder everyone called him two-face. He always seemed to be by your side, but when things got rough, Harvey bailed.

Gordon also didn't like the way he was talking to Selina. She was a kid after all and Dent was hitting on her. By the look on Bruce's face, he didn't like it either.

After dinner, they party went into a grand sitting room for drinks. The younger men naturally flocking around Selina who looked uncomfortable at the attention.

"What's Lambisie doing here, Bruce?" Gordon asked.  
"Business dealings. Nothing personal." Bruce said.

The young heir to the Wayne fortune was eyeing Selina and Harvey suspiciously.

"He's a gangster, Bruce." Gordon huffed.  
"Thought you got rid of all the organized crime, Gordon." Bruce said. His dark eyes never leaving Selina.  
"Are you aware that he owns the jewelry shop that got robbed?" Gordon asked. "It's under a dummy corporation and the FBI can trace it all back to him. They are building a case against him as we speak."

"Well, it's the government, they won't work too fast." Bruce said lazily.  
"Will they find evidence that Wayne Enterprises has been importing conflict diamonds? You tell me, Bruce, what am I supposed to think about your having Lambisie over to dinner?"

"You're supposed to have a good time." Bruce said.

Gordon looked to where Bruce was glaring.

Selina as standing in front of the fire with Harvey Dent, John VanBrown Jr and another of Gotham's elite pretty boys talking to her.

"You should have asked the photographer to stay. They might have left Selina alone with another young lady here." Gordon said smugly.  
"Vicki." Bruce said.

"What?"

"The photographer? The Marilyn lookalike? Her name was Vicki Vail. I invited her to the circus tomorrow." Bruce said.

"You have Selina here and you're hitting on other women? What is wrong with you?" Gordon hissed.

Bruce gave him an annoyed look and left him to break up the pack of suiters that had flocked around Selina.

~ "Thank you." Bruce said.

It was well after midnight and Selina felt the pain from her hip and rib starting to hurt her again.

"You're welcome." she said bitterly.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

All the guests were gone and Wayne Manor was empty for the night. Only the echoes of their voices could be heard through the halls. Selina just wanted to go back to her room, take her pain medicine and got to sleep.

"No." she said. Her voice angry.  
"Selina." he sighed. "I'm sorry that Harvey-"

"Bruce, you have me meet your little friends who have all gone to fancy colleges and summer in the Hampton's and you think I can compete with that? This isn't Pygmalion, you can't put me in a fancy black dress and parade me around and think I'll fit in." she said harshly.

"Selina, you did fit in." Bruce told her. Hadn't she seen that everyone loved her?  
"Bruce, I'm not one of you." Selina told him. "I can't smile pretty and keep my moth shut for that idiot mayor. Why did you insist on putting me in that position?"

"Because you are my guest just as much as he is and more important to me than he ever will be." Bruce said coldly.

Selina glared at him.

"Bruce, I'm not a good person." she said. Her breath seeming to leave her body.

He reached out for her but she moved away.  
"Selina, I know what you are."

"No you don't." she snapped. "You only know what I tell you. You've never understood what its like to have to fight your whole life just to stay alive. To never have a safe place to run to. Then you bring me here, with all your rich friends and dress me up like this. It's just like when we were kids. I'm not apart of your world. I can't do fancy dinners or socialites!"

"Fine." Bruce said. "We don't have to have any more dinners. You suggested the whole party."

"I didn't want to be apart of it!" she said hotly.

Bruce watched her fold her arms over her body. It was the same speech she had given him when they fought as teenagers.

"I didn't get hurt slipping in the rain on my way home from work." she said in a cold, detached tone.

"Selina, stop." Bruce ordered.

"I was on the rooftops. I was being chased by some freak because I had been trying to rob a jewelry store. It went bad, and I got hurt. That's why I called you. Because in all the world, I know I can count on you. Ivy has vanished, and I've been living in some poor futures brokers apartment while they were on vacation. I sold everything I could from that apartment and didn't regret it. It's who I am, Bruce. You think I'm a good person, and I'm not." she said sadly.

Bruce knew all of this. Or at least he suspected it. Still, the truth hit him hard.  
"Selina, you don't have to be like that anymore. You know that. You know I still love you." he said.  
"You don't even know me!" she cried. Tears were filling her eyes and for the first time ever, he watched them fall. "You don't know the real me. What I had to do to survive. It changes you and you can't go back. I steal so I don't have to work as a hooker, so that I have value to the thugs on the streets. They leave me alone because in all the world, there isn't anyone who can break a safe better than me. There isn't anything I can't break into. It's been the only thing I've ever been good at. You think I can change? That I can just become a socialite and stay here in your castle? That I could be your wife?"

She shook her head as if he were a fool.

"That girl you think I am, never existed. You can dress her up like a queen, but she's still evil." Selina told him bitterly.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

~ Vicki Vale* was no photographer, and could hardly call herself a reporter. Thankfully, her smart phone did all the work for her. She returned to the Gotham Harold that night after she emailed the pictures to her boss. She wasn't happy lately. Her boyfriend had broken up with her, she was late on her rent, her tuition check had just bounced and she was starting to lose her love for journalism. No, not starting to lose it, her love of reporting was long gone.

She used to have passion for this kind of work when she was a teenager, but there was nothing good to report on. No one read the paper anymore anyway. It was all buzz-fed articles these days. Why buy a paper when you just scroll down and read it for free? Her internship was unpaid and they treated her like a slave here. The Gotham Harold was the oldest paper in the city, but only the second best selling, and that was very sad. None of the computers were up to date, every desk was crowded with old papers because the internet was so slow here, it was easier to just research the old fashioned way. By going to the basement and pulling the micro film of older editions.

She had suggested putting the old editions of the Gotham Harold online, ads and all. The Harold had reported on fascinating things over the years. The Titanic sinking, Prohibition, the stock market crash, world wars and the fall of communism. Those were fascinating glimpses of history that the city used to be apart of. She thought it would be interesting to have a "Vintage Gotham" web sight and might rekindle the city's love for the old Gotham Harold. Her co workers looked at her like she was crazy.

Her phone buzzed as soon as she sat down at her little desk.  
"What?" Vicki groaned. She hated her boss. He was an older man who's wife had left him years ago. He had a little crush on Vicki and seemed to think he actually had a shot with her. It made her skin craw just to think about it.

"Bruce Wayne is an associate of Francis 'The Lamb' Lambisie?" her editor barked.

"What?" Vicki asked. She had no idea what her boss was talking about.

"The new shot caller of the narrows? The one who's been running all the traffickers and smuggling? He was at a dinner party with Bruce Wayne?"

Vicki looked over her phone. She hadn't paid much attention to the other people there. She recognized the mayor, Mrs. VanBrown and her son. Also Bruce Wayne who was very nice to her, but looked like a cold hearted asshole in this picture. She didn't recognized the balding man in the nice suit or the pretty model next to him. Vicki _did_ recognize that dress the girl was wearing. As an avid fashion reader, she remembered the stunning black dress from the Paris runways just last month.

Whoever the woman was, an actress, heiress or model, she must be well financed.

"We're putting the picture of Wayne, the Mayor and Lambisie on the front page. Early edition, I'll have Mike stop the presses. We haven't done it in thirty five years, but we have to get a jump on the Gotham Gazette. Who's the girl?" her editor barked.  
"I got her name." Vicki said quickly. She scrolled through her phone. Grateful the butler had given her all the names.

"Selina Kyle." she said. "I think I saw one of her movies."  
"Make sure she's on the front page to!" her editor barked. "She's just the kind of eye candy that will have the gossip rags throwing fits! Type it up, Vicki and really play up the girl angle. I'll have Harold supply the mob boss angel. You've got an hour."

"An hour!" Vicki shouted.

"Welcome to news print. You're a reporter now!" her editor barked.

Her line went dead and Vicki felt her heart race. She had just an hour to type up a new story that would be on the front page of the largest paper in Gotham. She almost fell out of her chair jumping to the nearest computer.

~ Within the hour, she had a thousand words describing the dinner party as if she had been there. Harold, the crime reported edited the importance of Lamisie and the irony of him being at a dinner with the mayor and Bruce Wayne.

"Detective Gordon was there to?" Harold laughed. "I would love to have been a fly on that wall."

"Why?" Vicki asked. She was interested in Gotham's news for the first time in years.  
"You're too young to remember, but Gordon cleaned up this city." Harold told her. "Put a target on his back bigger than my ex wife's ass, but he did it."  
"What? It used to be worse?" Vicki laughed.

"Much worse." Harold said. The two Dons, Fish Moony and Penguin nearly tore the city apart. Now, it's just been Penguin for the past few years. He's got the city under his umbrella so to speak." Harold said.  
"Penguin?" Vicki asked. "What kind of a name is that?"

Harold laughed.

"You've got a lot to learn about Gotham." he said.  
"Well, I was invited to the party at Wayne Manor tomorrow night." Vicki said with confidence. "I can ask him all about Lambisie then."

"Good girl." Harold grinned. "You get an in with Wayne, your career will write itself."

~ The press room was big and noisy, ink was staining her hand, but Vicki couldn't resist plucking up a fresh edition of the paper. Her name was in print on a front page story. She almost screamed in delight. Paper delivery vans were lining up to take her story out to the masses before dawn. She had chosen a series of five pictures for the front page. The most prominent one was of Bruce Wayne, the Mayor, that Actress Selina Kyle and Lambisie looking very friendly with each other. Harold had told her to remember this moment. It was when her career as a report began.

~ Alfred had picked up one of the early editions from an all night newsstand. The paper was still warm and he could smell the ink of the never ending press.

He smiled to see Bruce's face looking back at them. He had Selina on his arm and they did indeed make a handsome couple. The editors must be in heaven just now, because the pictures were numerous and all in color. The news of the circus was pushed back to page five in light of the dinner party with Lambisie, Wayne and the Mayor.

~ Bruce was awake, as he alway was this time of day. He rarely slept all night, instead, he spent time on the large computer in the cave like bunker. It was cold in this dank, dark keep, but he liked it.

"It seems the first part of you plan was a smashing success, sir." Alfred told him.

Bruce turned to see his butler coming in from down the stairs. He handed Bruce the early edition. Selina looked beautiful on the front page. He felt a swell of pride and being able to stand next to her in the picture.

But the real victory was all the pictures of Lambisie and Selina.

"They think she's an actress. Alfred, I want you to take Selina to the Gotham Imperial." Bruce said after he read Vicki's article.

"An exclusive hotel is very nice. What makes you think she'll stay there, sir?" Alfred asked.  
"Because I won't be there." Bruce said darkly. "Now that her fence knows where she is, that she was with Lambisie, she's in danger. She can't stay here, it's not safe."

"The Imperial does have a full spa." Alfred nodded.

"I was thinking more of the armed security at the doors." Bruce added.  
"Well, it's not an exclusive hotel for nothing." Alfred agreed.  
"Spare no expense." Bruce ordered. "The best room. Book it for a week."

"Very good, sir." Alfred said. "What about the party?"

"What about the party?"

"You have to make an appearance." Alfred said. "Protecting Miss Kyle is a priority, but it will look odd if you're not there."

Bruce looked annoyed.

"Lambisie won't be there. It's important that we finish the plan." he said.

"Yes, but how would it look to throw such a large party and not show up?" Alfred asked.  
"Like I'm a spoiled, irresponsible kid." Bruce said. "Isn't that the image we're going for?"

***Vicki Vale is a real Batman character. Her looks really were taken from Marilyn Monroe. **


	13. Chapter 13

13.

~ Selina walked around the beautiful hotel suite. The concierge was telling her about the spa downstairs and room service.  
"It's the presidential suit Mrs. Cross. The president always stays here when he visits Gotham. Mr. Wayne has paid in advance for your stay here as his guest for the week. Anything you need, including our shops downstairs." he said.

"I see." Selina said. She looked out the window of her penthouse and wondered why Alfred had checked her in under another name. Bruce's butler had helped her pack early that morning, politely telling her that she might be more comfortable at the Imperial Hotel during the party. All the noise and crowds might not be conducive to her recovery.

She had to admit that the Imperial was nice, and no one would ever think to look for her here. But it stung slightly to be removed from Wayne Manor without even a goodbye from Bruce. She knew that her revelation was hurtful to him. It always pained him to learn she wasn't the angel he thought she was.

"Will there be anything else, miss?" the concierge was asking.

Selina shook her head.  
"I'd like to be alone." she whispered.

~ The Carnival was in full swing that evening. Every light in Wayne Manor was on and crowds of people swarmed the lawns to see the attractions at the historic Wayne Manor that no one in recent memory had ever seen the inside of.  
Bruce was with the other VIP's on a stage in front of the house. Members of the press were all around him waiting to take his picture. If only the Mayor wasn't running late. He had better things to do than establish an alibi.

"Caught you!" came a cheerful voice.

Bruce turned to see the pretty blond girl with the Marilyn appeal snapping his picture with her camera phone.  
"Vicki." he said happily and helped her onto the stage.  
"I was wondering if you had a chance to read my article today." Vicki Vale said with a worried look.  
"I did." Bruce said. "You can tell your readers that Mr. Lambisie and I are not going to do any business together now that I know more about him."

"You did't know he was a mob leader?" Vicki asked skeptically.  
Bruce shrugged and played dumb.  
"Lucky for me, I have Jim Gordon to keep me away from such reprobates." he said. "He told me over dinner all about Lambisie."

"You're not angry that we ran the story?" Vicki asked.

"Not at all." he laughed.  
"Tell me, where is your guest from last night? Selina Kyle? Has she been in anything I would have seen?" Vicki asked hopefully.

"Selina Kyle? No, she's out of town. I don't really know her that well." Bruce lied. He couldn't have the press thinking he and Selina were close. It might hurt her and him if this plan of his went south.

"Oh, I see." Vicki said with a smile.  
"Vicki, I have to give a speech as soon as the mayor arrives, then I have to talk to a potential client. Are you going to stay at the party long? I'd love it if we could talk." Bruce said.  
Her eyes lit up.  
"Sure." she gasped. "I know you're busy, but I'd love to interview you."

"I don't really do interviews, I'm a private person." Bruce told her humbly. "But I think since we're both the same age, you would be a better person to write about me than a journalist who's looking to cause scandal."

"I doubt you have a lot of skeletons in your closet Mr. Wayne." Vick said with a pretty grin.

Bruce tried to grin back, but it was almost painful to do. He spotted the mayor coming up the stairs to the stage anyway.

"Let me give my speech and as soon as I talk up a few guest, I can spend the rest of the evening with you." he promised.

She gave him a little wave and left the stage as the mayor took the microphone and was giving a long winded speech.

~ It was a tedious affair, but as soon as it was over, Bruce left the crowds of people and escaped. Alfred was having to pull double duty tonight. His main job was telling people that they just missed Bruce Wayne and he was around here somewhere.

The Vicki Vale interview later tonight couldn't hurt either if his disappearance was questioned. He dreaded the thought of talking about himself to this girl, but he had to do it.

His father's study had been sectioned off and left untouched by the tour groups. Bruce was quick to slip inside and open the grandfather clock. He quickly dressed in his battle armor and helmet with the night vision. His car was waiting and had already found the tracking device he had planted on Lambisie last night. Typically, the grid inside his car showed the mob boss was in the narrows.

~ Outside a disused microwave factory, Batman hunched over a sky light. He remembered Alfred telling him that the narrows used to be a blue collar haven before all the industry was packed up and outsorced. That there were plenty of jobs and housing in the area and Gotham thrived until corrupt business men shut everything down and moved the operation overseas where things were cheaper to make.

He spied his target on the factory floor. Lambisie was with his bodyguard and another man. Batman had arrived just in time to do nothing. He applied a listening device to the window and heard the whole thing.

"Lambisie, you set me up!" a weasel like man was shouting.  
"Set you up? How dare you come to me with that attitude?" Lambisie said coldly.

"You've been playing both sides. You hire me to steel those gems so your business partners will think they've been taken by your rivals. Cat vanishes along with the jewels and then I see her picture in the paper today with you on her arm? You've been playing me for a fool!"

"Who or what is cat?" Lambisie growled.  
"Don't play dumb with me. You know her pretty well having dinner with her and mayor. Think I wouldn't find out? Think you're such a big shot?" the weasel like man was saying.

Batman watched as the weasel drew first. The bodyguard was slightly quicker and shot him in the chest. The weasel man went down, but not before he was able to shoot Lambisie in the head.

It only took a few seconds. Blood was everywhere and the bodyguard stood there looking dumbfounded. Batman felt like his feet had turned to stone. It had worked. His plan had worked. Selina was safe now that the fence that hired her and Lambisie were both dead.

But seeing the shoot out brought back terrible memories of his parents death. For just a moment, he was that young boy again. Too afraid to move.

Batman saw the bodyguard start to run and without a second thought, he threw a grappling line towards him. In a second, the wires tripped him up and the man was down.

Like an avenging ghost, Batman slipped onto the factory floor. Of the three men, only the bodyguard was still breathing.

"Who else knows you're here?" Batman growled at the bodyguard. The man looked at him in horror.

"No one!" the man said. "Lambisie kept the meeting private."

"Who else knew about the jewelry store robbery? The blood diamonds?" Batman asked.  
"The boss's shop got robbed. Rilo there, he stole from us. We were coming to take him out." the bodyguard said feebly.

"Who else was involved in the robbery?" Batman asked darkly.  
"I don't know." the bodyguard said. "Lambisie hired Rilo to take out his own store to keep those gems for himself. Rilo double crossed us!"

~ It was music to Batman's ears. Quickly, he tied up the bodyguard, drugged him with the hallucinogen so that he would remember little of this conversation, and called the GCPD.

They would be very happy to know Lambisie and a local fence named Rilo were out of the picture. The murderer, safely tied up and waiting their arrival.

~ Vicki Vale had ridden all the rides and toured the house. She had been on the lookout for Bruce for over an hour now and feared he might have stood her up.

She had wandered away front he tour group, looking at a very nice painting when a voice boomed out at her.  
"Caught you!" it said and Vicki turned to see Bruce Wayne, somewhat out of breath walking to her.  
"I thought you forgot about me." she laughed.  
"Never." he said. "I'm sorry, I was talking to an investor from China and couldn't get away. I see you escaped the tour group."

"Yes, I'm sorry." Vicki admitted. "I was looking for you."

"Right." Bruce said.

His smile was so large, Vicki could count all of his perfectly white teeth.

"Well, shall we have our little interview?" he said and directed her to a private study with a huge grandfather clock on the wall.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

~ Selina had newspapers spread all over the king sized bed at the Gotham Imperial. She hadn't even known she was front page news until the Gotham Harold re-ran the story about the dinner party. That blond woman thought she was an actress for some reason. There was also a lengthy article about the circus and all the money it had raised in just one evening. Some of it going to the children's charity, and some going to fix up Gotham General which was in desperate need of repairs.

Added to that, Bruce had given an interview to a reporter. A thing Selina had never known him to do. Bruce, _her_ Bruce, was always immensely private about himself.

She read the article and could just picture Bruce Wayne talking. His lovely speaking voice, his perfect manners. It made her miss him to read his words in print.

_~ "My parents death was difficult of course, but I had the guidance of my guardian and good friends to help me move past it. I'm attempting to live as normal a life as I can. There are times when I feel I'll never be ready to truly take over Wayne Enterprises. I mean, it's such a big responsibility. Many jobs are at stake. That's why I have Luscious Fox to help guide me. _

_Sometimes, it's easy to feel sorry for myself. I lost the best parents a person could have at a young age. Then I remind myself that I'm not the only one who suffers in this world and I have the power to do good for someone else. That's what tonight has been all about. To help just one person live a better life. If I can help that one person remember to be happy again, then it's been a success." _

~ Selina put down the society pages. She was disgusted by it already. Bruce, Bruce, Bruce. The perfect son of Gotham had done it again. He was like a prince in the city, and she was no better than a scullery maid.

Added to that, the real problem that her picture was on the front page of the newspapers all over the city. Rilo would soon see it and come after her. No wonder Bruce wanted her out of Wayne Manor. Last thing her old friend needed was a local thug to come into his house.

She would never see Bruce again. She knew that for sure. Like a gentleman, he had paid for her stay at this impressive hotel. If it had been anyone else, she would have taken full advantage of room service and gone down to the shops to buy new clothes. But she could never take advantage of Bruce like that. She could steal fro strangers and even people she knew, but only to survive. Bruce had rescued her, been her white knight, and she was grateful.

What to do now? Eventually Rilo would find her. She had almost no money left. Maybe a bus ticket to anywhere and she could try to make it on her own after that. She had never left Gotham before. The idea scared her.

She was leafing through the articles, trying to think of a plan when the crime reports caught her eye. Most noticeably, a large picture of that Lambisie man from dinner a few nights before.

She quickly read the article which said that Lambisie and a local criminal name Rilo Wills were found dead in an old factory in the narrows. Selina felt herself stop breathing at seeing Rilo's name. Apparently, there had been some kind of altercation and both men were shot. The bodyguard of Lambisie has been taken into custody by the GCPD and the FBI is investigating Lambisie's connection with trafficking in conflict diamonds.

Selina reread the article. it was too good to be true. No one except Rilo knew she was going to break into the jewelry shop. He didn't even call her by her real name. Could it be possible? Was she really safe?

~ "Lambisie and his associate, Rilo Wills were found dead last night." Gordon told Bruce.

"How horrible." Bruce said.

They were once more in his father's sitting room.

"It seems this was a case of a business deal gone bad." Gordon said.

"Very bad." Bruce agreed. "I read the article about him. It seems he was into some very bad things."  
"Where were you, Bruce?" Gordon asked. "Last night, you gave a speech at the party and then vanished."

"I had met that reporter, Vicki Vale again and we spent some time tgether." Bruce explained.  
"The interview?" Gordon asked.  
"Among other things." Bruce said.

"She can confirm that?" Gordon asked.  
"Detective." Bruce laughed. "You really don't think I'm involved with anything criminal, do you?"

~ The week was up, and Selina hated to leave the Imperial. She had bought a few new clothes and sundries at the shop downstairs, had a spa day and generally felt better about herself after. Bruce hadn't called her and the society pages were littered with photo's of her Bruce and that blonde reporter from the dinner party. They were caught going out to coffee shops and coming out of fancy restaurants together. Just like some celebrity power couple.

She wasn't sure what her next move was. Maybe she could try and find a real job. She had never had a real job before. She didn't even have a place to live just now. She could try to find a halfway house or a women's dormitory. She wasn't sure if they still had those in Gotham anymore.

There was a knock on her door and Selina knew it was the bell hop coming to kick her out of paradise. Her small bag was already packed and she was ready to leave. She wasn't prepared to see Bruce when she opened the door.

"Hello." she said in surprise.

"Hello." he said kindly. His face blooming into a smile when he saw her.

"Can I come in?" he asked.  
She waved him inside.  
"How are you feeling?" he asked.  
"Better. My rib doesn't hurt anymore. I think the week of bed rest has been good for me." she said sadly.  
"That's good." he smiled. "I hope you're not too angry with me for sending you here. I thought the noise from the party-"

"Bruce, we both know you didn't want me around after everything I've done." she said darkly. "It was very nice of you to put me up here for the week. Thank you."

Bruce looked ashamed of himself.  
"Will you come with me?" he asked. "I want to show you something."

~ It was a beautiful day in Gotham and Bruce had Alfred drive them to the oh so trendy part of the city. There were farmer's markets, art studios, little cafes and music halls for the rising stars.

"What are we doing?" Selina asked as Alfred parked the car in a neighborhood that still had trees growing on the sidewalk.  
"You'll see." Bruce said happily.

She went with him up the elevator and all the way to the top floor of the building. Bruce had the keys to an apartment there and before Selina could guess at what he was doing, he was showing her around a large loft with high windows.

"It's 2,000 square feet. Hardwood floors with a remodeled kitchen, bathroom and a private laundry room in the back." he said.  
"Okay." she said. "Why are we here?"

"Because I just bought the building and I need someone to manage it." he said.

Selina gaped at him in shock.  
"Now, there's no maintenance fees, and you'll live here instead of the the bottom floor like most managers. It was the only apartment available right now. I'm told it was once an art studio." he explained.

Selina looked around the amazing apartment. It had views of the small park with traders selling art work and t-shirts. She could see trees and people walking and the epic skyline of Gotham.  
"You're giving me an apartment in the most exclusive part of the city?" she questioned. It was too good to be true. The apartment, let alone the whole building, must be worth millions.

Bruce shrugged.

"It's not as much work as you might think, all the tenants have been here for years. It's an investment for me and I need someone who's not afraid to kick out the bad apples. I think you're the right person." he explained.  
"Bruce, we both know what this is. I can't accept this." she said feebly. She was already dreaming of how she would decorate this beautiful apartment and make it her own.

"Selina." he said coldly. "I know you think this is charity, but it's not. I expect you to collect rent, ensure the property is well maintained. In exchange, you get to live here for as long as you want for free."

"Bruce." she said sadly.

"I know you have nowhere to go. You can send back flowers, and dresses and jewelry… snow globes." he said remembering something painful. "Please don't reject this gift. I want you off the streets and living a normal life."

"As what?" she question. "Your secret mistress?"

Bruce blushed slightly.  
"I'm actually dating a reporter named Vicki just now. No, not my mistress, Selina. I don't think about you like that anymore." he said.

Selina felt hurt. Bruce was telling the truth.

"I have been accused of never seeing the real you." he said sadly. "Of only seeing what I want to see. Of trying to make you into someone you don't want to be."

She wanted to scream at him. To remind him that just last week, he told her he loved her. She kept her lips tightly pressed together.  
"Selina, I don't love the real you. You're right, I never knew the real you." he told her.

She felt bile rise in her throat and refused to cry.

"But you are my friend and I don't want you to suffer or resort to stealing again." he said. "Not when it's something I can fix."

He held out a set of keys to the building.

"Please." he said gently.

Her pride told her to walk away. She had nothing, but she didn't owe anyone anything. Bruce could give this to her today and take it away tomorrow. It wasn't his style, but he could do that.

"It's mine?" she asked. "For good?"

"We can sign a four year contract right now." Bruce said. "You'll be answering to my lawyers and not me. I'm sure as long as the place doesn't become a meth den, they'll be happy."

Selina eyed the set of keys.

A home, a real home with shinny hardwood floors, central air, a kitchen, a bathroom and even a washing machine of her own! It was a dream. It was the life she and Ivy always talked about. She could be a different person here. She could actually be happy.

She snatched the keys from Bruce and clutched them tightly in her hand.  
"You'll probably have to find work to pay for your other needs." Bruce reminded her.

"I will." she whispered. She had an apartment! A place to live that was hers and hers alone.

"Something nice and boring." Bruce suggested.  
"Very boring." Selina agreed.


	15. Chapter 15

15.

~ Selina wasn't sure why she read Vicki Vale's articles. The young reporter was the 'IT GIRL' of Gotham overnight. Everything she wore was photographed in the gossip magazines and then that became the latest trend. Suddenly Vicki was everywhere in Gotham. She was doing major articles for the Gotham Harold on organized crime. She was interviewing high profile city managers and creating sensations with each one.

Selina didn't care about Vicki, It was the pictures of her and Bruce that she wanted to see. Bruce looked happy in those candid paparazzi pictures. There was endless speculation that Bruce Wayne was going to marry Vicki Vale soon. Gossip rags were always talking about the handsome billionaire who was dating the intrepid reporter who had come out of nowhere. At lot of these same magazines painted Bruce in a very unfair light. They seemed to like the angle of him being a playboy when nothing could be farther from the truth.

Still, Selina had to smile smugly when photos emerged of Bruce out with an exotic model one night. An unflattering picture of poor Vicki in the insert.

Even though Selina wasn't in love with Bruce, she hated herself for pushing him into the arms of another woman. She had no one to blame but herself for being alone now.

Yet, it wasn't all bad for here these days. She loved her new home more than she had ever loved anything in the world. In just a few days, she had met all her neighbors as they new manager. They all claimed they knew her as that actress who did artistic theater no one ever saw, but was very talented.

To her surprise, Harvey Dent had called a week into her new place and asked if she wanted a job in the DA's office. He had won the election and needed a new file clerk. Selina suspected he was just wanting to get to know her better, but accepted the job anyway.

It was easy work and she stayed in the basement with the typing pool. All she did was pull files, fax paperwork and take messages from Dent's office. Harvey was making a pest of himself sometimes. He was always asking her out to lunch or dinner. She had to admit, there were worse men out there in the city. But something about Harvey Dent gave her pause. She just didn't trust him. It was as if he showed her the side she wanted to see and she couldn't see the other part of him.

So she lied and said she had a date for lunch and dinner. Or that she had elaborate plans. Once she even said she had an audition which he believed.

For weeks, her new apartment sat empty and lacking in basic furnishing except a mattress on the floor. She had lived in so many different places over the years, she had no idea how to decorate. She only knew what she liked and what she didn't like.

What she liked didn't come cheap unfortunately. Nothing discount, or from a big box store would do. Second hand was fine, as long as it was in perfect condition. She refused to settle for anything less than high end. As a result, she frequented estate sales, and flea markets on weekends. She found, little by little, beautiful furniture for her new home. It took months to get the red velvet victorian chase lounge she wanted, but it was worth it.

Thankfully, she had no rent, and so she could afford the best for herself.

It had taken months to make her home look as if she had lived there for years and she loved it. She had never really owned anything before. She had always lived with just the clothes on her back. Now, she had a place that was hers alone. No one was coming to kick her out or take anything away.

Her cat Isis was another perk of living in her own place. Selina had always been a great cat lover. She had never been allowed to keep a pet before, but here, she could finally have the feline company she had always wanted.

Isis had found her on her first night here. She had been all alone in this big place, and he had come to her window crying for food. An all black kitten needing a nights refuge from the elements. She had taken him in and he had loved her right away. His sleek black body would wind around her legs and even perch on her shoulder when he was feeling especially affectionate.

Selina may have lost Bruce's love, but at least she wasn't totally alone.

~ Batman could see into Selina's loft from the building across the street. He crouched on the roof tops and watched her, that black cat always in tow, cook dinner and watch TV or read. She looked so normal now. So happy. He even liked the way she decorated. It was homey and looked comfortable from where he stood watching. In a more perfect world, he would have loved to stay with her there. For a moment, he wished that he could admit he still cared for her. That he bought the building for her. That he asked Harvey Dent himself to give her a job so she wouldn't have to fall back to her pled lifestyle.

But Selina didn't love him. Maybe she never did. It hardly changed how he felt about her. He would always be there if she needed him. He would always look after her, even from afar. He wanted nothing more from her than to see her happy.

It was starting to rain again and Batman vanished from the rooftops before the first drops hit Selina's windows.

~ Selina closed the windows that faced south when the rain started to fall. Her plants were dying and she couldn't figure out why. She had bought house plants and put them in brightly colored, handmade pottery by the south window. It was what Ivy would have done. So why were they dying on her?

Her front door buzzed and she let out a sigh. Probably that man in apartment 3B complaining about the condensation on the windows again. She let out a sigh and didn't bother to look out the peephole before opening her door.  
"Ivy?" she gasped when she saw her tall, redheaded friend standing there.  
Ivy Pepper smiled at Selina as if she had a secret.  
"Ivy, where have you been?" Selina said happily and hugged her old friend. "I've been so worried."

"Don't worry about me, Cat." Ivy told her lazily. "I've been with friends. I saw you the other day, looking like one of the marks you used to pick off. Why are you going to the DA's office?"  
"I work there now. Wait, you saw me and didn't say anything? How did you even find me here?" Selina questioned.  
"Followed you." Ivy told her. Her old friend looked around the loft. "Nice place, Cat. Just like we always dreamed of when we were kids. When are the owners coming back?"

"They're not. This is my apartment." Selina said. "Ivy, why did you just disappear without a word?"

Ivy turned to her and smiled.

"Selina, I've met some new people. People that will make us very rich." she said.

Selina took a step away.  
"Ivy, I'm not into that life anymore." she said worriedly.

"I see. So you're better than me now. Right? You still think I'm crazy, right?"

"No, I never said that. Ivy, why don't you live here with me? We can get you a real job." Selina offered.

Ivy had wondered over to the big windows and was looking over Selina's almost dead plants.

"You never could keeps things together." she said sadly. "How long do you think you'll be able to keep this up?"

"I've been keeping it up for six months now!" Selina told her harshly.

"Your boyfriend has been running around with that reporter." Ivy said with mock pity.

"Bruce and I haven't been together in a long time." Selina said.  
"He bought you this place." Ivy accused.  
"I'm the manager of the building."

"Selina, come on, it's me you're talking to." Ivy purred. "I was the one you told all your dirty secrets to. I know how you feel about poor Bruce Wayne."

"I think you should go." Selina said.

It hurt to have one of her few friends talk to her like this.

"Certainly." Ivy agreed. "But I've made promises to certain people and I can't come back empty handed."

"What do you mean?" Selina asked.

Ivy moved in front of Selina and quickly sprayed something in her face she hadn't notched her old friend was carrying.

Instantly, Selina felt woozy. Her world was spinning and she felt giddy, dizzy slightly drunk.  
"It's alright." Ivy said. "It's all natural. No lasting effects on the body. It's just going to make you a little more… complacent."

"What?" Selina said happily. She hadn't understood a word her friend said.

She wrapped her arms around Ivy like there and been no fight at all.

"Ivy! I've missed you!" Selina said with a smile.

"Cat, I've told a lot of people about your abilities, and your skills are needed just now." Ivy said taking hold of Selina and guiding her out of the apartment.

"Okay." Selina agreed.  
"You're going to meet my friends." Ivy told her as they walked to the elevator.  
"Your friends." Selina repeated happily.  
"We've got big plans, Selina." Ivy told her. "_Big _plans."

**~ END ~**

**I decided to end on a cliff hanger just like they do in the comics. Don't worry, I'll update soon. **

**I would enjoy some feedback on this story. If there were parts you liked or didn't like. Things you want to see in the next story. **


End file.
